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BATTLE    OF    NEW    .MAUKET 


From   the   Mural   Faintimg   at  the   Institute  by   B.   Wkst   Clinedinst 


THE  MILITARY  HISTORY 


OF  THE 


Virginia  Military  Institute 


FROM 


1839  TO  1865 


WITH  APPENDIX,  MAPS,  AND  ILLUSTRATIONS 

BY 

JENNINGS  C.  WISE, 

Formerly  Commandant  of  Cadets,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 
Colonel  Engineers,  Virginia  Volunteers. 


'There  are  some  defeats  more  triumphant  than  victories." — Bacon. 
"There  are  those  that  triumph  in  a  losing  cause." — Lowell. 


LYNCHBURG,  VA. 

J.  p.  BELL  COMPANY,  INC. 
1915 


Copyright,  1915 
J.  P.  BELL  CO.,  Inc. 


^30 


DEDICATED    TO    THE    MEMORY    OF 

THE    NINETEEN     CADETS 

OF 

THE  VIRGINIA  MILITARY  INSTITUTE 

WHO 

FELL   IN   ACTION,   OR  DIED   IN   THE    MILITARY  SERVICE   OF   THE 

CONFEDERATE    STATES   OF    AMERICA,   DURING   THE 

WAR   BETWEEN   THE    STATES 

"To  God,  whichever  way  the  battle  rolls, 
We,  fighting  to  the  end,  commend  our  souls." 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.     The  Genesis  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute     24 

II.     Founding   of    the    Second   American    School    of 

Arms     36 

III.  "The  West  Point  of  the  South"  and  Major  Gil- 
ham    45 

IV.     The  Coming  of  Jackson 63 

V.      In  Time  of  Peace  Prepare  for  War — Gilham  and 

Jackson    76 

VI.     Chair  of  Strategy  Created — The   Execution  of 

John    Brown 99 

VII.     Military   Preparation 114 

VIII.  "Draw  the  Sword  and  Throw  Away  the  Scab- 
bard"     126 

IX.  Union  Sentiment — Mobilization- — The  Corps  of 
Cadets  Enters  the  Service  of  the  Confeder- 
acy— Camp  Lee — "First  Blood  of  the  War".  .    134 

X.  Jackson  at  Harper's  Ferry  and  Manassas 158 

XI.  Cadets  at   Manassas — In   Memoriam 165 

XII.  The  West  Point  of  the  Confederacy 171 

XIII.  Winter  of  1862 — Battle  of  McDowell 184 

XIV.  Back  to  Work  Again — Chancellorsville — "The 
Virginia  Military  Institute  Will  Be  Heard 
From  To-Day" — The  Burial  of  Jackson 211 


6  Contents 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XV.     The   Summer  of    1863 — Averell's   First   Raid — A 

New  Session  and  New  Arms 233 

XVI.     Gettysburg  and  the  V.  M.  I.  in  Pickett's  Charge 

— Latimer,  "The  Boy  Major" 244 

XVII.     The  Fall  and  Winter  of  1863 — Averell's  Second 

Raid — A  Near  Battle 252 

XVIII.     Averell's  Third  Raid — Cadets  Called  Out  Again 

— A  Week  of  Severe  Field  Service 264 

XIX.     From  the  Sublime  to  the  Ridiculous 276 

XX.     Breckinridge  Orders  Out  the  Corps — The  March 

Down  the  Valley 284 

XXI.     The  Battle  of  New  Market,  May  15,  1864 303 

XXII.     The  Charge  of  the  Cadets 315 

XXIII.     Victory  and  Laurels — Richmond  Again  and  Back 

to   Lexington 333 

XXIV.     Hunter's  Raid — Destruction  of  the  Institute — 

In  the  Trenches  at  Lynchburg — Furloughed  352 

XXV.  Institute  Reopened  in  Richmond — On  the  Lines 
— The  New  Almshouse — In  the  Trenches 
Again 381 

XXVI.      1865 — In     the     Trenches     Again — "Sauve     Qui 

Peut" 406 

Appendix    421 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING 
PAGE 

Battle  of  New  Market Frontispiece 

The  Arsenal  in  1839 32 

Colonel   Claude   Crozet 64 

Colonel  John  Thomas  Lewis  Preston 96 

Major-General  Francis  Henney  Smith 128 

Brigadier-General    Thomas    Hoomes   Williamson 160 

Major-General  William  H.  Richardson 192 

Colonel  William  Gilham 224 

War  Map 210 

Major  Thomas  Jonathan  Jackson 256 

Virginia  Military  Institute   1853-1865 288 

Major-General  Raleigh  E.  Colston 320 

Brigadier-General  Scott  Shipp 352 

Major-General   Robert  Edward   Rodes 384 

A  War-Time   Cadet  Officer 400 

Barracks  After  Hunter's  Raid 416 


PREFACE 

Lexington,  Va.,  April  1,  1914. 

The  preparation  of  this  strictly  military  history  of 
the  Virginia  Military  Institute  has  indeed  been  a  work 
of  love,  and  the  author  hopes  the  story  may  possess  for 
others  the  absorbing  interest  it  held  for  him. 

This  history  may  rightly  be  styled  tradition  sifted 
out  and  reduced  to  fact,  for  it  has  been  written  from  the 
official  registers,  Superintendent's  reports,  proceedings 
of  the  Board  of  Visitors,  "Rebellion  Records,"  original 
field  orders  and  correspondence,  and  other  contempora- 
neous records,  and  little  has  been  accepted  save  upon 
such  authority,  and  nothing  which  has  not  passed  the 
critical  eye  of  Brigadier-General  Scott  Shipp,  Superin- 
tendent-Emeritus, who  has  been  closely  connected  with 
the  Institute  since  September,  1856,  and  who  has  seen 
every  class  graduate  except  fifteen. 

The  "History  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute"  by 
General  Francis  H.  Smith,  recently  published,  is  so 
brief  and  incomplete  that,  while  it  afforded  a  valuable 
outline,  it  did  not  even  hint  at  many  interesting  and 
valuable  facts.  It  was  but  a  preliminary  draft  to  a 
more  complete  work  which,  unfortunately.  General 
Smith  did  not  live  long  enough  to  prepare. 

With  General  Smith's  history  as  an  outline  and  Gen- 
eral Shipp's  guiding  hand  upon  the  author's  pen,  re- 
sults were  possible  which  might  not  otherwise  have  been 
accomplished.  But  then  there  were  two  others  who  con- 
tributed much  of  what  is  valuable  in  the  work.  Their 
names  need  only  be  mentioned  in  order  to  apprise  the 
reader  of  the  extent  of  their  influence  upon  whatever 
of  accuracy  the  narrative  may  possess.  Captain  B.  A. 
Colonna,  Cadet  Captain  of  Company  "D"  in  the  Bat- 
tle of  New  Market,  and  who  served  as  a  cadet  in  the 
Corps,  from  July,  1860,  until  the  destruction  of  the  In- 
stitute, possesses  a  fund  of  information  unexcelled  by 
that  of  any  living  member  of  the  War  Corps.  This  he 
placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  author.    Colonel  Joseph  R. 


10  The  Military  History  of 

Anderson,  Official  Historiographer  of  the  Institute, 
personally  checked  every  date  and  figure  and  made 
many  corrections  and  suggestions  without  which  the 
work  would  have  been  most  defective.  The  author 
is  imable  to  adequately  express  his  feeling  of  in- 
debtedness to  them  both.  In  addition  to  his  work  of 
revising  the  manuscript.  Colonel  Anderson  contributed 
much  to  the  work  in  the  form  of  statistical  appendices 
and  other  matter. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  work  the  author's  thoughts 
continually  dwelt  upon  Schamyl,  Scandeberg,  Ver- 
cingetorix,  Kosciusczko, — and  Lee, — the  great  heroes 
of  defeat,  rather  than  upon  the  lustful  Hannibals  of 
history. 

"Courage  and  conscience  devoted  to  a  great  cause  are 
the  elements  of  heroism.  Judged  by  conventional 
standards,  it  may  be  fallible,  but  it  is  always  entitled 
to  respect.  The  fame  of  the  victor  is  secure,  but  at 
times  the  halo  around  the  brow  of  the  champion  who 
bites  the  dust  ere  he  reaches  his  goal  shines  with 
transcendent  luster.  To  portray  the  heroic  deeds  and 
stature  of  such  is,  of  course,  the  purpose  of  the  author 
of  this  volume."  These  words  are  borrowed  from  an 
eminent  scholar,  and  upon  the  cover  of  this  book  is 
stamped  the  picture  of  Mercie's  statue  Gloria  Victis, — 
Victory  gathering  to  her  arms  an  heroic  youth — which 
statue  stands  before  the  Hotel  de  Ville  of  Paris. 

A  distinguished  officer  of  the  United  States  Army, 
one  who  was  formerly  Commandant  of  Cadets  of  the 
United  States  Military  Academy,  recently  addressed 
the  Corps  of  Cadets  at  the  Institute.  He  stated  that 
the  reason  military  schools  generally  failed  to  attain 
to  the  high  standards  of  West  Point  is  because  they 
pattern  after  the  superficial  things  of  the  Academy, 
losing  sight  of  the  moral  factors  and  the  traditions  as 
the  elements  upon  which  its  greatness  is  based.  He 
was  right.  We  can  not  borrow  the  souls  of  others,  along 
with  their  mode  of  living  and  style  of  dress.  But  if 
past  service,  past  glory,  and  noble  traditions  be  ele- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  11 

ments  of  lasting  strength,  then  the  future  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Mihtary  Institute  seems  assured  and  no  borrow- 
ing is  necessary. 

Yes.  There  is  something  deeper  than  external  evi- 
dences. It  is  the  soul  that  must  be  garbed  and  drilled, 
and  disciplined,  and  taught  to  follow  the  colors ;  to  obey 
and  to  expunge  from  itself  the  false  and  the  impure 
things  of  life. 

Riichel  said  the  soul  of  the  Prussian  army  was  its 
officers.  That  the  spirit  of  the  corps  of  officers  bespeaks 
the  spirit  of  the  whole  army  is  claimed  by  Von  der  Goltz 
to  be  but  a  repetition  of  what  is  universally  observed  in 
political  life:  "So  long,"  says  he,  "as  the  educated,  the 
leading  classes  maintain  their  efficiency,  the  people  also 
will  be  stout  and  capable."  It  was  this  idea  upon  which 
JNIajor  Howze  dwelt  when  he  pointed  out  that  the  pri- 
mary reason  of  the  greatness  of  West  Point  was  that 
the  soul  and,  therefore,  the  spirit  of  the  cadet  officer 
there  was  high  and  pure. 

West  Point  is  older  by  nearly  two  score  years  than 
the  Institute,  but  even  the  great  American  School  of 
Arms  is  no  richer  in  tradition  than  the  V.  M.  I.,  whose 
soul  is  chastened  like  that  of  West  Point  by  the  know- 
ledge of  all  those  who  have  ventured  forth  upon  the  field 
of  duty  from  its  sally-ports.  Here,  the  most  thoughtless 
cadet,  as  he  paces  back  and  forth  upon  his  post  in  the 
still  hours  of  the  night,  peoples  our  sacred  precincts 
with  spectres  from  the  corps  of  yesterday,  and  silently, 
reverently,  renders  each  a  salute  while  passing. 

Youth  is  inherently  careless  and  not  prone  to  senti- 
mentalism.  Yet,  down  deep  in  his  heart  every  cadet 
knows,  however  much  he  may  seek  to  cover  it  up,  that 
silent  voices  appeal  to  him  here,  and  that  out  on  the 
parade  ground,  trodden  in  the  long  ago  by  heroes  un- 
numbered, he  is  called  upon  to  pass  two  inspections — 
one  the  inspection  of  his  conscience.  And  so,  let  the 
cadets  of  to-day  rejoice  that  they  find  here  that  which 
makes  it  unnecessary  to  borrow  aught  except  the  forms 
of  the  soldier,  for  as  long  as  our  exalted  traditions  pro- 


12  The  Military  History  of 

vide  us  with  inspectors  for  the  soul  of  the  corps,  the  sub- 
stance as  well  as  the  form  of  the  soldier  is  assured.  May 
the  day  never  come  when  the  cadet  is  so  callous,  so  dull, 
that  he  can  not  in  his  mind  transport  the  Jackson  stand- 
ing before  our  arch  to  the  field  of  Manassas,  and  see 
him  there  among  the  very  guns  which  now  surround  his 
bronze  figure.  May  the  day  never  come  when  the  figure 
of  Washington  before  our  sally-port  fails  to  speak  to 
the  sentinel  on  his  lonely  beat,  or  when  the  figure  of 
Virginia  mourning  the  loss  of  those  whose  remains  she 
guards  fails  to  inspire  us  with  prideful  joy  at  the  sacri- 
fice of  those  lives.  May  the  hour  never  come  when  for 
the  whole  corps,  as  well  as  for  its  officers,  the  perform- 
ance of  duty  has  but  the  one  selfish  object  of  passing 
gain,  without  that  higher  appeal  to  conscience  in  its  dis- 
charge. 

The  action  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets  in  the  battle  of 
New  Market,  while,  undoubtedly,  its  most  brilliant 
military  exploit,  was  by  no  means  the  only  active  field 
service  in  which  the  cadets  engaged  during  the  War 
between  the  States ;  but  it  has  overshadowed  their  other 
deeds  to  such  an  extent  that  most  of  them  had  been  al- 
most forgotten,  even  by  the  participants.  It  was  to 
save  these  to  history,  and  to  record  the  great  influence 
which  Virginia's  School  of  Arms  bore  upon  the  military 
career  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  that  this 
work  was  undertaken. 

So  much  has  been  written  of  New  Market  that  it 
might  at  first  seem  superfluous  to  attempt  to  add  more 
to  the  general  knowledge  of  the  event.  For  two  rea- 
sons, however,  it  was  necessary  to  do  so;  first,  because 
such  a  work  as  this  would  be  incomplete  without  a  full 
account  of  the  battle,  especially  of  the  part  played 
therein  by  the  cadets;  and  second,  because  a  work  pur- 
porting to  be  a  final  one  on  that  chapter  of  the  history  of 
the  Virginia  Military  Institute  is  so  far  from  con- 
clusive, and  so  characterized  by  lack  of  military  per- 
ception on  the  part  of  its  author,  that  it  can  not  be  al- 
lowed to  stand  without  a  protest.     That  protest,  how- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  13 

ever,  shall  be  one  of  reason  and  logic;  animus  shall  not 
enter  into  our  criticisms. 

The  battle  of  New  Market  should  be  the  cause  of 
little  contention,  for  in  the  brilliant  victory  which  Breck- 
inridge won  May  15,  1864,  there  was  glory  enough  for 
all  participants.  Yet,  as  is  always  the  case  when  actors 
on  different  parts  of  a  battlefield  undertake  to  set  forth 
the  conduct  of  the  whole  action,  and  the  parts  played 
by  the  various  commands,  assertions  are  made  incon- 
sistent with  the  facts,  which  invariably  lead  to  denials, 
charges,  and  countercharges. 

The  student  of  war  expects  such  results,  for  he  well 
knows — and  especially  if  he  be  a  soldier  himself — that 
armies  are  no  longer  marshaled  in  solid  phalanx  by  a 
single  leader  who  maneuvers  the  mass  as  if  it  were  on 
parade.  The  battlefield  is  seldom  of  such  character 
that  even  the  commanding  general  may  see,  or  even 
know,  at  every  instant  where  his  various  miits  are 
posted,  and  those  units  while  themselves  pieces  in  the 
game  are  generally  quite  ignorant  of  their  relative 
situations  with  respect  to  the  enemy  and  the  various 
parts  of  the  army  of  which  they  form  an  integral  part. 
Every  such  unit  has  its  own  particular  sphere  of  action. 
A  hill,  a  thicket,  may  be  the  curtain  which  obscures  its 
location  or  its  movements,  and,  so,  when  a  participant 
undertakes  to  record  more  than  his  own  actions,  he 
generally  does  so  mider  a  great  disadvantage. 

Two  brigades  or  regiments,  screened  from  the  view, 
and  perhaps  entirely  ignorant  of  the  relative  positions 
of  the  other,  assail  a  certain  portion  of  the  enemy's  line. 
The  enemy  feels  at  once  the  pressure  of  both  and  re- 
tires. Each  of  the  attacking  units,  unconscious  of  their 
joint  effect,  attributes  the  flight  of  the  enemy  to  its 
own  prowess.  Here,  at  once,  arises  a  contention  made 
in  perfect  good  faith.  Neither  contestant  is  willing  to 
surrender  beliefs  honestly  entertained,  and  based  on 
what  was  actually  seen,  yet  from  different  viewpoints. 
And  so  controversy  arises  and  continues  where  all  are 
right  and  all  are  wrong.     The  historian  who  expects  to 


14  The  Milhary  History  of 

find  a  general  concurrence  of  views  among  the  partici- 
pants in  a  battle  expressed  in  their  official  reports,  will  be 
invariably  disappointed,  and  if  he  be  a  military  critic 
of  experience  he  will  not  expect  it,  for  detacliments  of 
a  command,  though  cooperating  as  a  whole,  perform 
detached  functions,  and  therefore,  as  we  have  seen,  ac- 
quire a  detached  knowledge  of  what  actually  occurred 
on  the  field  of  battle. 

New  Market  has  proved  no  exception  to  the  rule, 
and  the  writer  is  unable  to  understand  why  the  honest 
statements  of  honest  men  have  not  been  accepted  as 
true  with  respect  to  local  acts,  and  why  their  assertions 
as  to  the  general  conduct  of  the  battle  have  not  been 
taken  for  what  they  were  worth.  It  is  easy  to  dis- 
tinguish statements  based  on  first-hand  knowledge  from 
those  founded  on  hearsay  and  report. 

In  order  to  silence  the  controversy  which  arose  over 
New  Market  by  reconciling  the  various  accounts  of  the 
battle,  the  task  of  writing  an  authentic  history  of  the 
battle  was  by  common  consent,  some  years  ago,  assigned 
to  Captain  Henry  A.  Wise,  senior  tactical  officer  of  the 
Corps  of  Cadets,  who  commanded  the  Battalion,  after 
the  Commandant  was  disabled.  Captain  Wise's  in- 
dustry led  to  the  collection  of  a  great  mass  of  material; 
but  his  modesty  induced  him  to  surrender  the  work  of 
putting  it  into  shape  to  Professor  Edward  Raymond 
Turner,  of  Johns  Hopkins  University,  since  become 
Professor  of  European  History  at  the  University  of 
Michigan. 

While  Professor  Turner  is  a  scholar  of  merit,  he  is, 
unfortmiately,  not  a  soldier  by  training;  and  he  ap- 
proached the  undertaking  turned  over  to  him  in  a  con- 
fused state  of  mind,  believing  that  the  very  natural  lack 
of  accord  between  his  witnesses  argued  against  the  value 
of  their  testimony.  Furthermore,  impressed  at  the  out- 
set with  the  belief  that  the  feat  of  arms  claimed  for  the 
Corps  of  Cadets  was  impossible,  he  expended  much  of 
his  energy  in  endeavoring  to  prove  it  so;  and,  while 
he  rendered  a  great  service  in  presenting  the  collected 


The  Vieginia  Military  Institute  15 

evidence  of  the  participants,  his  conclusions  are  ob- 
viously a  compromise,  and  so  mixed  and  at  variance 
with  his  facts  and  own  assertions,  that  they  are  not  to 
be  seriously  accepted. 

With  a  full  recognition  of  the  unprejudiced  temper 
of  Dr.  Turner,  his  remarkable  lack  of  bias,  his  ever- 
apparent  desire  to  do  justice  to  those  concerned,  and 
his  pleasant,  dignified  style  and  scholarly  attainments, 
it  is  difficult  to  sustain  his  findings  in  the  premises  with 
respect  to  the  value  of  the  service  rendered  by  the  Corps 
of  Cadets. 

A  quotation  from  the  preface  of  the  book  will  indi- 
cate the  nature  of  the  case: 

"The  battle  of  New  Market,  though  one  of  the  smaller  engage- 
ments of  the  Civil  War,  possessed  certain  striking  features  which 
made  it  such  an  attractive  subject  that  it  has  been  described  by 
numerous  writers.  Moreover,  the  part  taken  by  the  cadets  was  so 
brilliant  and  unique  that  tales  of  their  exploits,  from  the  very  day 
of  the  battle,  were  given  wide  circulation.  To  tliose  in  a  position 
to  know,  however,  it  was  evident  that  no  satisfactory  account  had 
been  written;  for,  notwithstanding  that  General  Sigel,  General 
Imboden  and  others  had  given  versions,  their  work  was  obviously 
semi-popular  and  incomplete ;  while  everything  relating  to  the 
cadets  was  more  or  less  a  matter  of  rumor  and  controversy, 
exaggerated  assertions  being  made  by  their  partisans  and  sweeping 
denials  by  those  who  opposed  them." 

In  order  to  show  that  more  logical  conclusions  than 
those  of  Professor  Turner — conclusions  entirely  con- 
sistent with  the  facts,  as  well  as  with  the  accounts  of  the 
battle  previously  written — may  be  drawn,  before  enter- 
ing upon  the  account  of  the  battle,  the  writer  will  en- 
deavor to  dispel  the  confusion  which  Professor  Turner 
has  only  increased.  Some  of  the  more  important  re- 
sults of  his  study,  he  says,  may  be  summed  up  as 
follows : 

"There  was  no  such  disparity  of  numbers  of  the  opposing  forces 
as  has  been  often  stated ;  Sigel  had  about  6,000  men  in  the  battle ; 
Breckinridge  about  4,500. 

"The  Federal  Army  was  defeated  because  of  the  slow,  faltering, 
and  clumsy  strategy  of  its  commander,  and  through  a  lack  of  hearty 
cooperation  on  the  part  of  the  different  commands. 


16  The  Military  History  of 

"The  Confederate  triumph  was  owing  to  superb  and  brilliant 
movements  of  Imboden  and  Breckinridge  who  showed  themselves 
no  unworthy  successors  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  and  to  the  resolute 
bravery  of  the  veteran  Confederate  troops. 

"The  decisive  factors  on  May  16th  were  the  storming  of  the 
Federal  position  on  the  right,  the  excellent  handling  of  the  Con- 
federate artillery,  the  defeat  of  the  Federal  cavalry,  and  the 
desperate  charges  made  by  the  Confederate  center." 

The  author  then  goes  on  to  say : 

"Any  assertion  that  the  cadets  won  the  battle  of  New  Market, 
or  stemmed  a  Confederate  rout,  are  popular  exaggerations  which 
have  tended  to  discredit  what  they  actually  did. 

"There  is  no  doubt  that  they  held  the  gap  in  the  Confederate 
line,  fought  wondrously  well,  and  by  their  example  stimulated  the 
adjoining  regiments  to  make  the  decisive  charge."  (The  italics  are 
the  author's.) 

One  who  has  not  critically  studied  the  evidence  upon 
which  these  conclusions  are  based — and,  fortunately 
for  all,  that  evidence  is  frankly  and  fully  given  by  the 
author — would  be  justified  in  awarding  to  the  cadets  the 
honor  of  having  played  a  very  minor  role  in  the  battle 
of  New  Market.  First,  Dr.  Turner  declares  the  "res- 
olute bravery  of  the  veteran  Confederate  troops" 
(which  necessarily  excludes  the  cadets  who  were  not 
veterans)  to  have  been  one  of  the  decisive  factors  in 
the  Confederate  success.  Later,  he  gives  the  "desperate 
charges  made  by  the  Confederate  center,"  as  a  decisive 
factor.  The  cadets  were  in  these  charges,  according  to 
his  own  statements.  Does  he  mean  by  the  use  of  the 
word  ''veteran'"  to  exclude  the  cadets?  No;  he  should 
have  omitted  that  word.  His  final  conclusions  are 
mixed  and  misleading;  and  the  proof  that  this  is  so 
is  to  ])e  found  in  the  following  excerpt  from  a  review 
which  appeared  over  the  initials  "H.  W."  in  the  Army 
and  Navy  Journal  of  Jime  29,  1912,  the  reviewer  evi- 
dently having  blindly  followed  the  poorest  portion  of 
the  author's  work,  or  the  summary  of  his  conclusions: 

"  'Facts  are  stubborn  things,'  as  the  historian  speedily  found  out, 
and   while    great    credit    must    be    conceded    to    the    cadets    of   the 


The  Vieginia  Military  Institute  17 

Virginia  Military  Institute,  the  facts  of  history  do  not  give  them  all 
the  credit  assumed  for  them  by  many  writers  on  the  subject.  It 
would  seem  that  the  credit  which  is  due  the  cadets  on  that  occasion 
is  the  high  example  set  by  the  boys  composing  the  Battalion,  who, 
for  the  first  time,  faced  the  dangers  of  battle,  on  that  momentous 
day  of  May  15,  1864." 

Compare  this  with  the  author's  preface,  and  we  at 
once  recoffnize  the  handiwork  of  the  ordinary  reviewer 
who  reads  the  preface,  glances  over  the  chapter-head- 
ings, picks  out  an  important  date  or  two,  writes  a  few 
commonplace  lines,  and  adds  one  more  good  book  to  his 
library. 

Dr.  Turner  has  established  the  fact  that  the  cadets 
(originally  in  reserve)  were  first  absorbed  in  the  sup- 
port, gradually  to  become  involved  in  the  firing-line. 
This  was  due  to  the  gradual  contraction  of  the  wings 
of  the  Confederate  line  of  battle,  towards  the  right  and 
left,  respectively,  leaving  a  gap  near  the  left  center. 
Upon  noticing  the  widening  gap  in  his  enemy's  line, 
Sigel,  with  more  judgment  and  precision  than  he  dis- 
played at  any  other  period  of  the  combat,  formed  a 
heavy  column  for  the  countercharge  to  be  directed  into 
the  gap,  or  against  the  weakest  point  of  Breckinridge's 
line.     (See  pages  57,  75,  79.) 

Dr.  Turner  states  in  three  places  in  his  book  that 
this  was  a  "critical  point"  in  the  battle.  From  a  strict 
military  standpoint  it  was  more — Sigel  recognized  the 
fact  that  the  very  crisis  of  the  combat,  that  breathless 
moment  when  victorj'^  and  defeat  are  suspended  in  tlie 
balance,  had  arrived,  and  his  countercharge  was  set  in 
motion.  It  was  the  opinion  of  ofiicers  who  witnessed 
the  battle  (and  their  views  are  adopted  by  Dr. 
Turner)  that  if  this  countercharge  had  succeeded  in 
reaching  the  Confederate  line,  Breckinridge's  Army 
would  have  been  cut  in  twain,  and  a  rout  would  have 
followed.  This  is  certainly  a  reasonable  conclusion,  for 
the  advance  of  both  Confederate  wings  had  ceased,  and 
the  regiment  on  the  left  of  the  cadets  had  actually  fallen 
into  confusion.     (See  page  59).     This  regiment  could 


18  The  Military  History  or 

hardly  have  opposed  the  cokimii  which  Sigel  was  lead- 
ing toward  the  gap,  nor  could  the  troops  on  the  right 
of  the  opening  extend  to  their  left.  At  this  point,  then, 
when  the  Federal  countercharge  was  well  organized, 
and  actually  underway,  the  Cadet  Battalion,  rectifying 
its  alignment  by  marking  time  under  a  terrific  fire  from 
the  Federal  batteries,  was  led  obliquely  to  the  right 
from  its  position  in  support  of  the  left  wing,  into  the 
gap,  and  delivered  a  heavy  musketry  fire  at  close  range 
upon  the  34th  Massachusetts  Infantry,  which  up  to  this 
moment  had  advanced  almost  unresisted. 

Of  the  three  regiments  which  had  composed  the  Fed- 
eral cokmin,  two  had  been  checked  by  the  Confederate 
troo^js  to  the  left  of  the  cadets;  but  it  seems  plain  that 
the  Massachusetts  regiment  would  have  pressed  home, 
had  the  gap  still  been  open.  As  it  was,  they  all  but 
succeeded  under  the  cover  of  their  supporting  guns. 

On  page  59,  Dr  Turner  now  tells  us  that  after  the 
repulse  of  the  countercharge,  the  "hinder  echelon" 
joined  the  firing  line,  and  formed  a  solid  line,  together 
WTth  the  Sixty- Second  Virginia  of  800  veteran  troops. 
This  is  conclusive  of  the  fact  that  at  least  some  of  the 
"resolute  veterans"  were  behind  the  cadets  during  the 
crisis  of  the  combat. 

Having  repulsed  the  countercharge,  the  firing-line 
was  quickly  reinforced,  the  troops  pulled  together,  and 
a  general  advance  ensued,  which  culminated  in  the  giv- 
ing way,  and  retreat,  of  the  enemy.  In  this  general  ad- 
vance, the  cadets  were  incidentally  in  the  lead.  Indeed, 
this  was  a  fine  example  and  very  naturally  "stimulated 
the  adjoining  regi7nents  to  make  the  decisive  charge'' 

Dr.  Turner  should  have  mentioned  the  fact  that  the 
cadets  were  on  the  "gridiron"  themselves,  and  not 
merely  cheering  from  the  "bleachers."  There  is  a  de- 
cided difference  between  "stimulating"  and  "leading," 
or  even  "acting  in  conjunction  with."  There  is  no  neces- 
sary inference  from  the  author's  language  that  the 
cadets  were  in  this  final  charge.  On  the  contrary,  one 
would  be  justified  in  assuming  that  they  were  not. 


The  Vikginia  Mit.itaey  Institute  19 

Xow,  if  the  cadets  repulsed,  or  contributed  to  the 
repulse  of,  the  countercharge  (as  is  stated  by  Dr. 
Turner  in  three  places),  and  if  it  be  admitted  that  the 
countercharge,  if  successful,  would  have  routed  the  Con- 
federate Army,  the  share  the  cadets  bore  was  undoubt- 
edly more  than  that  of  "stimulating"  others,  or  of 
setting  a  mere  example.  And,  so,  we  see  how  our 
friend  "H.  W."  of  the  Army  and  Navy  Journal  has 
been  led  astray  by  Dr.  Turner. 

Dr.  Turner  is  not  an  educated  soldier,  as  is  shown  by 
the  misuse  of  the  word  strategy  (page  9),  and  his  en- 
tire ignorance  of  the  simplest  militarj^  terms.  Not  be- 
ing a  trained  soldier,  or  a  student  of  tactics  and 
strategy,  the  intellectual  and  philosophical  side  of  war, 
he  fails  utterly  to  grasp  the  real  importance  of  the 
cadets'  movements.  He  fails  to  recognize  the  psy- 
chological instant,  or  the  crisis  of  the  combat.  He  fails 
to  note  that  the  cadets,  when  absolutely  no  other  troops 
were  to  be  had  for  the  purpose,  without  orders  from 
Breckinridge,  were  led  by  their  gallant  commander  to 
the  right  spot  at  just  the  right  moment.  He  fails  to 
appreciate  Breckinridge's  remarks  to  the  cadets  Im- 
mediately after  the  battle,  when  he  raised  his  hat  and 
said:  "Young  gentlemen,  I  have  to  thank  you  for  the 
result  of  to-day's  operations."  ( See  page  88) .  A  com- 
manding officer  is  not  apt  to  ride  about  his  army  making 
such  speeches  to  single  commands  when  there  is  no 
foundation  for  his  words.  General  Breckinridge  but 
expressed  the  contemporaneous  opinion  of  himself  as 
commander,  which  was  no  doubt  based  largely  upon  the 
observations  and  reports  of  his  staff  officers,  and  they 
had  undoubtedly  been  in  a  far  better  position  to  follow 
the  movements  of  the  various  commands  than  any  of 
the  line  officers,  for  it  was  their  duty  to  observe  and 
control  the  whole,  while  the  responsibility  and  observa- 
tions of  the  field  and  line  officers  were  limited  to  the 
sphere  of  their  own  activities. 

If  Dr.  Turner  had  ever  studied  the  works  of  Clause- 
witz,  Scharnhorst,  Gneisenau,  Von  der  Goltz,  JMoltke, 


20  The  Miijtaky  History  of 

IJiilow,  Wartcnbiirg,  Prince  Kraff,  and  other  military 
philosophers,  he  would  have  accorded  more  considera- 
tion to  tlie  psychology  of  the  battlefield. 

In  Dr.  Turner's  discussion  of  the  cadets'  part  in  the 
capture  of  the  guns  he  also  shows  an  ever-present  desire 
to  deny  tliem  the  credit  of  the  capture,  if  by  anj^  possible 
argument  he  can  do  so.  It  appears  as  if  he  were  afraid 
to  follow  the  evidence  too  closely,  lest  he  might  succeed 
in  proving  what  he  seems  to  think  the  impossible. 

Dr.  Turner  goes  off  on  the  question  of  the  number 
of  pieces  captured,  and  the  nmnber  of  casualties  in- 
curred by  the  cadets,  as  evidence  against  the  reputed 
character  of  their  charge.  Assimiing  that  but  two 
pieces  were  captured  bj^  the  cadets — and  he  admits  the 
capture  of  as  many — this  fact  shows  why  more  loss  was 
not  inflicted  upon  the  Corps  by  the  batterj^  some  of 
the  guns  of  which  limbered  up  and  pulled  out  before 
the  Battalion  reached  its  position.  The  guns  that 
limbered  up  could  not  have  fired  continuously  during 
the  few  minutes  it  took  the  Corps  to  traverse  the  ap- 
proach to  the  battery,  and  those  that  remained  in  action 
were  able  to  fire  but  a  few  rounds  at  most.  Guns  fired 
slowly  those  days,  two  rounds  a  minute  being  rapid 
work,  and  ranges  for  canister  were  short.  Then,  too,  it 
must  be  remembered  the  cadets  were  moving  at  a  rapid 
rate. 

Dr.  Turner  declares  the  account  of  John  S.  Wise  to 
be  inaccurate  and  colored  by  imagination.  He  quotes 
largely  from  this  account  until  it  disagrees  with  his  own 
views.  Then  he  throws  it  aside  as  inaccurate.  It  is 
true  John  S.  Wise  was  wounded  early  in  the  action,  and 
claimed  no  first-hand  knowledge  of  the  movements  of 
the  Corps,  from  the  first  stage  of  the  battle  on,  but  what 
he  wrote  was  based  upon  common  contemporaneous  re- 
port, and,  strange  to  say,  agrees  in  every  respect  with 
the  accounts  of  Captain  Town  and  Major  Lang,  both 
of  Sigel's  staff,  and  numerous  other  eye-witnesses.  The 
writer  ventures  this  assertion:  that  the  majority  of  com- 
petent  military   critics   to   whom    Dr.    Turner's   book 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  21 

might  be  submitted  would  hold  Mr.  Wise's  account  of 
the  battle  more  accurate  than  the  conclusions  of  Dr. 
Turner,  with  respect  to  the  importance  of  the  part 
played  by  the  Corps  of  Cadets. 

No;  it  is  not  claimed  that  the  cadets  fought  Sigel 
single-handed,  or  by  their  prowess  alone  won  the  battle. 
They  did,  however,  help  to  save  Breckinridge  from  de- 
feat at  the  very  crisis  of  the  combat,  and  took  a  leading 
part  in  the  final  stages  of  the  engagement.  The  writer, 
in  common  with  all  other  eleves  of  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute,  is  deeply  grateful  to  Dr.  Turner  for  the  last- 
ing record  which  he  has  prepared.  "Facts  are  stubborn 
things,"  and  can  not  be  obscured  by  mere  false  con- 
clusions. 

In  this  work  the  author  will  midertake  to  record  what 
probably  happened  at  New  Market,  without  the  slight- 
est desire  of  claiming  the  impossible  for  the  Cadet 
Corps,  and  to  accord  it  due  credit  for  its  actual  per- 
formances, and  for  the  moral  effect  thereof,  remember- 
ing that  numbers  and  volume  of  fire  are  not  the  only 
elements  of  success  on  the  battlefield.  Napoleon  did 
not  take  the  bridge  at  Lodi  with  his  sword,  nor  did  the 
handful  of  men  he  led  thereto  defeat  the  enemy.  But 
had  he  not  taken  the  bridge  at  the  critical  moment  the 
enemy  would  not  have  been  defeated.  In  a  similar 
sense  it  was  that  the  Corps  of  Cadets  helped  to  save 
the  day  at  New  Market.  No  reasonable  person  ever 
supposed  for  a  moment  that  250  cadets  swept  Sigel's 
Army  from  the  field  at  the  point  of  their  bayonets,  or 
drove  his  men  from  position  with  the  volume  of  their 
fire.  Nor  has  anyone,  as  far  as  the  writer  knows, 
claimed  that  the  cadets  could  have  accomplished  what 
they  did  except  in  conjunction  with  the  other  valiant 
troops  of  Breckinridge's  command.* 

And  now  a  word  as  to  the  frontispiece  of  this  book. 
It  is  taken  from  the  painting  of  the  Battle  of  New 
Market  by  the  distinguished  American  artist,  B.  West 

*The  substance  of  the  foregoing  criticism  appeared  over  tlie  author's  name 
in  the  Richmond  Ei;ening  Journal,  of  July  4.  1912,  and  was  included  in  a 
pamphlet,  entitled  "V.  M.  I.  Papers,"  printed  in  December,  1013. 


22  The  Military  History  of 

Cliiiedinst,  V.  M.  1.,  1870.  The  painting  was  unveiled 
with  appropriate  ceremony  at  the  Institute,  June  24th, 
]914.  It  occupies  the  large  groined  arched  space  in 
rear  of  the  chancel-like  platform  of  the  Jackson  Me- 
morial Hall;  its  dimensions  are  18  feet  wide  and  25  feet 
high,  and  the  canvas  is  framed  by  the  gold  cornice.  The 
near  figures  of  the  charging  line  of  cadets  are  seven  feet 
high.  The  scene  is  the  heroic  charge  of  the  Cadet 
Battalion  against  Von  Kleiser's  Federal  battery,  which 
incident  was  the  decisive  action  of  the  day  and  practi- 
cally closed  the  battle. 

The  picture  is  a  masterpiece  of  military  portraiture. 
The  colors  are  superb  and  true,  and  few  pictures,  not 
even  those  of  Messonier,  present  more  real  military 
spirit  and  action.  There  are  none  of  those  exaggera- 
tions or  offensive  artistic  liberties  which  artists  so  fre- 
quently find  it  necessary  to  call  to  their  aid.  It  rings 
with  truth,  and  the  artist  has  succeeded  without  resort 
to  artificialities.  His  appreciation  of  military  points 
is  testified  to  in  innumerable  ways,  and  as  one,  even 
the  novice,  or  the  most  casual  observer,  gazes  upon  the 
noble  work,  he  at  once  perceives  the  element  of  studious 
accuracy  which  characterizes  it;  the  idea  is  compelling. 

But  the  overwhelming  elan  of  the  youthful  figures 
and  the  beauty  of  their  action,  individual  and  collective, 
is  the  primal  feature  of  the  work.  It  fascinates  and  gives 
one  the  feeling  which  a  great  human  drama  inspires  in 
real  life.  There  is  nothing  of  the  tragedy  of  death  and 
carnage  to  strike  horror  into  the  breast  of  the  onlooker. 
The  work  of  the  artist  has  avoided  that  too  common  de- 
feat in  battle  pictures.  The  red  bandages  which  en- 
twine the  youthful  brows  are  not  merely  bloody — they 
appear  more  as  crimson  badges  of  heroic  courage.  The 
fallen  lad  appears  more  as  a  devote,  prostrate  before 
the  shrine  of  valor,  than  as  a  maimed  boy — a  more 
vicarious  sacrifice  to  the  ruthless  god  of  war.  The  flash 
of  the  picture  is  truly  that  of  the  lightning  bolt — not 
that  of  a  horrid,  consuming  blaze  the  spark  of  which 
was  struck  by  human  hands.     And,  furthermore,  the 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  23 

radiant  canvas  has  a  sound,  a  thing  which  few  pictures 
possess.  But  it  is  not  the  awe-inspiring  crash  and  rum- 
ble of  the  guns  which  hght  up  the  sullen  background 
with  their  lurid  tongues  of  fire — it  is  more  the  soulful 
cry  and  the  thrilling  reverberation  of  the  Valkyr's  di- 
vine voice. 

God  in  all  His  power  never  staged  a  scene  more  hu- 
manly sublime  than  New  Market.  That  day  he  set 
apart  to  immortal  man  as  an  eternal  inspiration  for 
youth.  What  more  can  be  said  by  way  of  tribute  to  the 
artist,  the  final  painter  of  the  glorious  deeds  on  that 
field  enacted,  than  to  say  he  has  fully  embraced  his  op- 
portunity ? 

But  yet,  another  word.  Messonier  or  Detaille  could 
not  have  painted  this  picture.  No  master  could  have 
done  it,  unless,  like  Clinedinst  he  had  once  worn  the 
cadet  coatee;  had  trod  the  sacred  precincts  of  Virginia's 
School  of  Arms,  precincts  hallowed  by  the  erstwhile 
presence  of  a  thousand  heroes ;  unless  he  had  imbibed  the 
spirit  which  sparkles  over  her  eternal  fountains  of 
tradition.  Such  an  one  only  could  mix  into  his  colors 
the  truth  of  New  Market. 

The  other  illustrations,  with  the  exception  of  the 
pictures  of  the  Institute,  are  reproductions  of  portraits 
at  the  Institute,  none  of  which,  as  far  as  the  author 
knows,  have  ever  been  reproduced  before.  These  por- 
traits present  the  likenesses  of  that  little  body  of  men 
who  together  so  largely  made  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute  what  in  their  da}^  it  was,  and  what  at  this  time 
it  is, 

Jennings  C.  Wise. 


24  The  Military  History  of 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  VIRGINIA  MILITARY  INSTITUTE 

When  the  corner-stone  of  the  present  Cadet  Bar- 
racks in  Lexington  was  laid  July  4,  1850,  the  seventy- 
six  anniversary  of  the  })irth  of  our  nation,  and  nearly 
eleven  years  before  Virginia  seceded  from  the  Union, 
a  distinguished  American,  John  W.  Brockenbrough  of 
Virginia,  called  attention  in  the  address  which  he  de- 
livered on  that  occasion  to  "the  portentous  cloud  gath- 
ering in  the  North."  "In  peace  prepare  for  war,"  was 
the  tenor  of  his  words. 

Six  years  later,  the  General  Assembly  of  Virginia,  by 
Act  of  March,  1856,  made  a  special  appropriation  of 
$10,000  for  the  purchase  of  a  bronze  replica  of  Jean 
Antoine  Houdon's  statue  of  George  Washington,  to 
be  placed  before  the  sally-port  of  the  Barracks  in  order, 
writes  the  historian,  "that  nothing  might  be  wanting  to 
make  the  Institute  effective  for  usefulness  to  the  State." 

Statues  are  but  symbols,  ofttimes  idealizations,  of 
the  lives  and  thoughts  of  those  they  represent.  It  was 
well,  therefore,  that  the  heroic  figure  of  Washington 
should  be  mounted  like  a  great  silent  sentinel — eternal 
guardian  of  the  destinies  of  Virginia's  youth — at  the 
very  sally-port  of  the  lives  of  many  of  her  citizens.  But, 
in  placing  it  there,  did  our  legislators  not  have  in 
mind  the  warnings  which  Washington,  like  Brocken- 
brough, had  uttered?  Exactly  eighty  years  before  this 
statue  was  dedicated  by  Governor  Henry  A.  Wise  of 
Virginia,  the  great  man  whom  it  represents  wrote  these 
words  into  his  last  annual  message  to  Congress: 

"The  institution  of  a  militaiy  academy  is  also  recom- 
mended by  cogent  reasons.  However  pacific  the  gen- 
eral policy  of  a  nation  may  be,  it  ought  never  to  be 
without  an  adequate  stock  of  military  knowledge  for 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  25 

emergencies.  The  first  would  impair  the  energy  of  its 
character,  and  both  would  endanger  its  safety,  or  ex- 
pose it  to  greater  evils,  when  war  could  not  be  avoided. 
Besides,  that  war  might  not  often  depend  upon  its  own 
choice.  In  proportion  as  the  observance  of  pacific 
maxims  might  exempt  a  nation  from  the  necessity  of 
practising  the  rules  of  the  military  art,  ought  to  be  its 
care  in  preserving  and  transmitting,  by  proper  estab- 
lishments, the  knowledge  of  that  art.  Whatever  argu- 
ment may  be  drawn  from  particular  examples,  super- 
ficially viewed,  a  thorough  examination  of  the  subject 
will  evince  that  the  art  of  war  is  both  comprehensive  and 
complicated;  that  it  demands  much  previous  study;  and 
that  the  possession  of  it,  in  its  most  improved  and  per- 
fect state,  is  always  of  great  moment  to  the  security  of 
a  nation.  This,  therefore,  ought  to  be  a  serious  care  of 
every  government;  and  for  this  purpose,  an  academy 
where  a  regular  course  of  instruction  is  given,  is  an  ob- 
vious expedient  which  different  nations  have  success- 
fully employed."* 

Washington's  recommendations  as  to  the  creation  of 
a  National  School  of  Arms  was  born  of  a  bitter  experi- 
ence. To-day  we  find  the  ultra-pacificists  appealing  to 
his  military  successes  at  the  head  of  a  citizen-soldiery,  in 
support  of  their  anti-militarism  contentions.  They  ig- 
nore utterly  Washington's  own  views  as  to  the  value  of 
the  troops  he  led.  But  those  views  were  unequivocally 
expressed.  Wrote  the  peace-loving  Father  of  our 
country,  "Regular  troops  alone  are  equal  to  the 
exigencies  of  modern  war,  as  well  for  defence  as  offence, 
and  when  a  substitute  is  attempted,  it  must  prove 
illusory  and  ruinous.  No  militia  will  ever  acquire  the 
habits  necessary  to  resist  a  regular  force.  The  firmness 
requisite  for  the  real  business  of  fighting  is  only  to  be 
obtained  by  a  constant  course  of  discipline  and  service. 
I  have  never  yet  been  witness  to  a  single  instance  that 
can  justify  a  different  opinion,  and  it  is  most  earnestly 
to  be  wished  that  the  liberties  of  America  may  no  longer 


*U.   S.  Doc.  Foreign  Rel.,  Vol.   Ill,  pp.   31-2. 


26  The  Military  History  of 

be  trusted,  in  any  material  degree,  to  so  precarious  a 
dependence." 

How  strange  that  the  very  man  who  dedicated  the 
Washington  statue  at  the  Virginia  Mihtary  Institute, 
in  18,56,  should  have  signed  the  death-warrant  of  John 
Brown  within  three  years  thereafter,  and  that  he  should 
have  witnessed  the  execution  of  the  arch-traitor  of  the 
Union,  with  the  Corps  of  Cadets  as  his  mihtary  escort! 

It  nuist  not  be  thought,  however,  that  Washington 
originated  the  idea  of  a  government  military  academy. 
Undoubtedly,  his  wide  knowledge  led  him  to  appreciate 
the  need  of  such  an  institution  from  the  first;  but  it  was 
Henry  Knox  who  first  recommended  its  creation. 

After  the  defeat  of  the  Americans  on  Long  Island, 
in  August,  1776,  Congress  resolved  upon  an  entire  re- 
organization of  the  Continental  Army.  The  Con- 
gressional Committee  appointed  to  investigate  the 
matter  of  army  reform  called  upon  Colonel  Knox,  a 
young  man  twenty-six  years  of  age,  then  in  command 
of  the  artillery  of  the  army,  for  suggestions  concerning 
his  arm  of  the  service. 

In  a  report,  characterized  by  great  breadth  of  view 
and  intimate  familiarity  with  the  needs  of  the  service 
in  general,  Colonel  Knox  recommended,  among  many 
other  things,  that  a  school  for  artillery  and  engineer 
officers  be  established.  The  following  are  his  exact 
words : 

"And,  as  officers  can  never  act  with  confidence  until 
they  are  masters  of  their  profession,  an  academy  es- 
tablished upon  a  liberal  plan  would  be  of  the  utmost 
service  to  the  continent,  where  the  whole  theory  and 
practice  of  fortification  and  gunnery  should  be  taught, 
to  be  nearly  on  the  same  plan  as  Woolwich,  making  al- 
lowances for  differences  in  circumstances — a  place  to 
which  our  enemies  are  indebted  for  the  superiority  of 
their  artillerv  to  all  who  have  opposed  them."  (Report 
of  Sept.  27,' 1776). 

Knox's  wise  plan  was  not  adopted  at  the  time,  and 
it  was  not  until  1794  that  the  War  Department  under- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  27 

took  to  compensate  for  the  lack  of  a  militaiy  school  for 
the  training  of  officers  by  attaching  cadets  to  artillery 
regiments.  This  plan  was  a  poor  substitute,  as  we  are 
informed  by  Secretary  of  War  McHenry,  in  a  letter 
dated  June  28,  1798,  in  which  he  wrote:  "It  was  sup- 
posed that  these  cadets  would  form  a  nursery  from 
which  qualified  officers  might  be  drawn  to  fill  vacancies ; 
but  it  must  occur  that  without  proper  masters  to  teach 
them  the  sciences  necessary  to  the  engineers  and  artiller- 
ists, this  nursery  can  produce  no  valuable  plants." 

In  1802,  the  Corps  of  Engineers  was  organized  and 
stationed  at  West  Point,  New  York,  and  so  constituted 
as  to  form  a  military  academy  for  the  training  of  ar- 
tillery and  engineer  officers.  But,  notwithstanding  the 
brilliant  attainments  and  ability  of  Colonel  Jonathan 
Williams,  the  first  Superintendent,  the  school  was  not 
fruitful  of  the  best  returns  until  after  the  War  of  1812 
when  cadets  were  appointed  in  all  branches  of  the  ser- 
vice and  attached  to  the  academy  for  preliminary  mili- 
tary and  scientific  training. 

It  was  in  the  j^ear  1816  that  President  Monroe  com- 
missioned Simon  Bernard  "an  assistant  in  the  Corps 
of  Engineers  of  the  United  States  with  the  rank  of 
brigadier-general  by  brevet."  In  his  capacity  as  the 
virtual  chief  of  the  Corps  of  Engineers,  this  great  man 
exercised  so  marked  an  influence  upon  military  in- 
struction in  America,  he  may  rightfully  be  called  one  of 
the  fathers  of  West  Point. 

A  Frenchman  by  birth,  Bernard  had  served  as  a  gen- 
eral of  Engineers  in  the  Army  of  the  Rhine  under 
Napoleon,  and  in  1813  as  aide-de-camp  on  the  Em- 
peror's staff.  Adhering  to  the  Restoration,  however, 
he  later  obtained  permission  to  accept  appointment  in 
the  American  service  and  remained  in  the  United  States 
until  the  French  Revolution  of  1830,  at  which  time  he 
returned  to  France,  planned  the  fortifications  of  Paris, 
and  became  Minister  of  War  in  1834. 

While  in  America,  Bernard  not  only  planned  the  en- 
tire system  of  our  coast  defense  fortifications,  but  many 


28  The  Military  History  of 

of  the  great  civil  engineering  works  of  the  country.  But 
it  is  in  his  connection  M-ith  the  development  of  West 
Point  tliat  his  work  particularly  interests  us. 

In  December,  1818,  he  rendered  a  report  on  the  Mili- 
tary Academy  in  which  he  expressed,  among  others,  the 
following  views: 

"1.  That  elementary  schools  are  necessary  to  supply  the  wants 
of  the  army  and  for  the  instruction  of  the  militia. 

"2.  That  the  elementary  schools  for  the  army  and  those  for 
the  use  of  the  militia  should  be  distinct  from  each  other. 

"3.  That  several  elementary  schools  are  necessary  for  the 
instruction  of  the  militia." 

Of  his  constructive  services  to  America,  Major-Gen- 
eral  William  H.  Carter,  Assistant  Chief  of  Staff  U.  S. 
Army  (1914),  writes,  "His  training  and  engineering 
skill  were  of  great  moment  to  the  nation  when  West 
Point,  the  Alma  Mater  of  Military  Engineering  in 
America,  was  yet  in  its  swaddling  clothes.  His  earlier 
European  experiences  in  campaign  and  battle  were 
tinged  with  brilliancy  and  romance,  but  his  genius  laid 
the  foundation  of  constructive  work  in  America  which 
wall  live  and  be  builded  upon  for  the  benefit  of  mankind 
long  after  the  stories  of  his  battles  have  lost  their  power 
to  quicken  the  pulse  of  a  prosaic  age."  (Journal  of  the 
Military  Service  Institution,  Sept.-Oct.,  1912), 

With  Simon  Bernard  came  another  great  Frenchman 
to  America,  Captain  Claude  Crozet.  Crozet  was  born  at 
Villefranche,  near  Lyons,  January  1st,  1790.  At  four- 
teen years  of  age,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Polytechnic 
School,  Paris;  was  graduated  in  1807  as  a  sub-lieu- 
tenant of  Artillery;  and  then  proceeded  to  Metz  for 
the  special  course  of  instruction  given  there  to  artillery 
and  engineer  officers.  After  two  years  at  this  fortress, 
he  joined  the  headquarters  of  the  Emperor  near  Vienna, 
just  in  time  to  participate  in  the  memorable  battle  of 
Wagram.  During  the  next  two  years  young  Crozet 
received  from  the  hands  of  the  Emperor  the  Cross  of 
the  Legion  of  Honor,  and  was  promoted  to  the  grade 
of  Captain  in  the  Imperial  Corps  of  Artillery  attached 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  29 

to  tlie  division  of  Marshal  Ney,  then  preparing  for  the 
invasion  of  Russia. 

On  the  disastrous  retreat  of  the  Imperial  Army  from 
Moscow,  Captain  Crozet  was  captured  and  held  pris- 
oner in  the  interior  two  years.  After  the  Treaty  of 
Paris  in  1814,  he  returned  to  France,  several  months 
after  Napoleon's  departure  for  Elba.  By  order  of  the 
King,  the  "Decoration  de  Lys"  was  now  conferred  upon 
him,  and  he  was  restored  to  his  old  rank  in  the  army; 
but  he  declined  to  re-enter  the  military  service  until  the 
Emperor  returned  from  his  first  exile.  At  the  termina- 
tion of  the  "Hundred  Days",  he  was  again  without  em- 
ployment; and  on  June  6,  1816,  provided  with  letters 
from  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette  and  others  well  ac- 
quainted in  America,  he  set  sail,  with  Bernard,  to  seek 
his  fortune  in  the  new  republic  of  the  United  States. 

Through  Bernard's  influence,  Crozet  was  almost  im- 
mediately appointed  Professor  of  Engineering  at  the 
Military  Academ}^  entering  upon  his  duties  there 
February  1st,  1817. 

Under  Captain  Crozet,  instruction  was  first  given  at 
West  Point  in  Descriptive  Geometry,  Analytical  Trigo- 
nometry, Differential  and  Integral  Calculus,  Civil 
Engineering  and  the  Principles  of  Machines.  At  that 
time,  there  was  no  text-book  in  the  United  States  on 
Descriptive  Geometry;  and  until  Captain  Crozet's 
treatise  was  issued  in  1821,  instruction  in  the  subject 
at  West  Point  was  entirely  oral.* 

In  1824,  Captain  Crozet's  health  compelled  Jiim  to 
relinquish  the  confining  employment  of  a  professor,  and 
he  accepted  at  this  time  an  appointment  as  State 
Engineer  of  Virginia.  During  the  nine  years  he  served 
as  such  he  urged  a  lock  and  dam  system  of  improvement 
of  the  James  River  from  Richmond  to  Lynchburg,  and 
in  1830  further  urged  the  construction  of  a  railroad 
connecting  the  canal  with  the   Kanawha  River,   tluis 

*The  influence  of  Crozet  on  the  academic  organization  of  the  Institute  will 
be  readily  perceived  by  all  the  Alumni.  He  introduced  descriptive  geometry 
at  the  V.  M.  I.  and  his  text-bools  was  here  taught  for  years.  The  suliject 
still  remains  in  the  curriculum  course,  and  for  sentimental  reasons,  if  no  other, 
may  it  ever  remain.  It  is  taught  at  but  few  institutions  in  America,  except 
as   a    special   topic. 


30  The  Miijtaky  History  of 

uniting  the  eastern  and  western  waters.  In  1832  he  ac- 
cepted the  office  of  State  Engineer  of  Louisiana,  but 
the  following  year  gave  up  active  engineering  and  be- 
came President  of  Jefferson  College,  Louisiana.  In 
1837.  he  again  became  State  Engineer  of  Virginia.  Such 
had  been  the  career  of  the  man  who  was,  as  first  Presi- 
dent of  its  Board  of  Visitors,  soon  to  aid  in  moulding  the 
destinies  of  the  Virginia  Mihtary  Institute.* 

In  Februarv,  1816,  the  very  vear  that  Bei-nard  and 
Crozet  sailed  for  America,  the  General  Assembly  of 
Virginia  provided  for  the  erection  of  three  arsenals,  in 
each  of  which  were  to  be  stored  20,000  stand  of  arms. 
One  of  these  arsenals  was  to  be  situated  west  of  the 
Alleghany  Mountains,  or  in  that  section  of  the  State 
since  become  West  Virginia;  one  of  the  others  was 
located  in  Riclunond,  and  one  in  Lexington.  For  each 
arsenal  a  company  of  State  Guards  consisting  of  one 
captain,  one  sergeant,  28  privates,  and  two  musicians, 
was  to  be  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  Common- 
wealth, and  the  period  of  enlistment  was  fixed  at  five 
years.  The  regulations,  pay  and  allowances  for  these 
troops  were  the  same  as  those  provided  by  Congress 
for  the  regular  army.  The  act  authorizing  the  erection 
of  the  arsenals  directed  the  arms  held  by  the  militia  to 
be  turned  into  the  arsenals  as  soon  as  they  were  ready 
to  receive  them  for  storage  and  care.  Certain  militia 
organizations  were  designated  to  retain  their  arms.  The 
context  of  the  Act  clearly  shows  that  continuous  neglect 
of    State    property    caused    the    establishment    of    the 

*In  1840  Captain  Crozet  was  selected  to  locate  and  construct  the  Blue 
Uidge  Railroad  from  Albemarle  County  through  Rock  Fish  Gap,  to  Augusta 
County,  as  a  State  improvement.  This  proved  a  very  difficult  undertaking, 
and  involved  construction  of  several  tunnels  with  many  complications.  The 
work  was  completed  and  turned  over  to  the  predecessors  of  the  present 
Chesapeake  &  Ohio  Railway  Company,  in  18.56  ;  and  soon  after  Captain  Crozet 
was  invited  to  Washington  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  assume  the  position 
of  principal  assistant  to  Captain  M.  C.  Meigs.  Corps  of  Engineers,  on  the  Con- 
struction of  the  Aqueduct.  Captain  Crozet  is  credited  with  the  planning 
and  construction  of  the  existing  aqueduct  bridge  connecting  Georgetown  with 
the  Virginia  shore,  near  the  Arlington  estate.  He  was  separated  from  the 
Aqueduct  engineering  work  in  1859,  on  account  of  exhaustion  of  funds,  and 
returned  to  Richmond,  A'irginia.  where,  as  Principal  of  Richmond  Academy, 
he  resided  until  his  death  in  1864.  For  a  full  account  of  his  life,  see  article 
by  Gen.  Wm.  U.  Carter.  .Journal  of  the  Military  Service  Institution.  .Tulv- 
August,  1013.  Captain  Crozefs  protrait  hangs  in  the  Jackson  Memorial  HaU 
at   the  Virginia   Military   Institute. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  31 

arsenals,  and  not  any  sudden  desire  to  accumulate  sur- 
plus armament  against  future  exigencies.* 

From  the  passage  of  the  foregoing  Act  until  the  out- 
break of  the  War  between  the  States,  Virginia  had  a 
standing  army  only  excelled  in  point  of  diminutiveness 
bv  the  famous  army  of  the  Prince  of  Monaco.  But 
while  the  enlisted  men  of  the  Lexington  Company  were 
not  engaged  in  the  protection  of  legalized  gamllling, 
they  were,  nevertheless,  an  undesirable  element  in  the 
social  economy  of  aristocratic  Lexington.  The  care  of 
the  30,000  stand  of  arms  which  were  accumulated  in  the 
arsenal,  the  necessary  guard-duty  and  drill,  a  tri- 
monthly  muste}-  and  inspection,  b\^  no  means  fully  oc- 
cupied their  time ;  and  the  members  of  the  idle  command 
were  in  tlie  nature  of  things  of  such  a  low  social  order 
as  to  be  objectionable  to  the  thrifty  people  of  Lexing- 
ton, a  town  then  numbering  possibly  1,500  inhabitants, 
or  about  half  the  present  population. 

In  Virginia,  in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  there  were  few  towns  larger  than  Lexington; 
and  among  its  residents,  by  reason  of  the  presence  of 
Washington  College,  were  to  be  fomid  an  altogether 
disproportionate  number  of  intellectual  persons.  Fur- 
thermore, the  town  was  the  County  seat  of  Rockbridge, 
in  a  section  rich  in  agriculture  and  cattle,  and  located 
on  the  James  River  and  Kanawha  Canal. 

In  the  nature  of  things,  Lexington  had  frequently 
been  visited  by  Captain  Crozet  while  engaged  in  the 
construction  of  the  canal.  As  State  Engineer,  he  knew 
of  the  Arsenal;  as  a  soldier  and  an  eleve  of  a  French 
Military  Institute,  a  foi'mer  Professor  at  West  Point, 
and  fresh  from  his  labors  in  organizing  and  building  u]) 
the  Xational  School  of  Arms  in  company  with  Bernard, 
he  undoubtedly  perceived  the  opportunity  offered  Vir- 
ginia; and,  in  all  probabihty,  discussed  with  some  of 
its  principal  citizens  the  project  of  founding  a  military 
school  in  Lexington  long  ere  it  took  tangible  form.  He 
pointed  out  to  them,  no  doubt,  that  in  the  period  of  our 

*See   Revised  Code   of  Virginia.    1819.   Vol.    L   pp.    125,    126. 


32  The  Military  History  of 

Revolutionary  War,  the  country  was  entirely  de- 
pendent upon  foreigners  to  supply  the  scientific  corps 
of  the  army  with  officers — such  as  military  engineers, 
officers  of  ordnance  and  topography,  as  well  as  tacticians 
and  strategists.  He  called  attention  to  Washington's 
recommendations  and  views  regarding  military  edu- 
cation and  he  repeated  the  words  of  Professor  D.  H. 
Mahan  of  West  Point,  who  had  declared  that,  "Military 
knowledge,  that  essential  element  of  a  nation's  safety, 
which,  like  our  own,  depends  upon  her  citizen  soldiery, 
in  a  moment  of  danger,  is  at  the  lowest  ebb.  To  so 
great  a  degree  was  this  the  case,  it  may  safely  be 
averred  that,  at  the  commencement  of  the  War  of  1812, 
twenty-five  native-born  citizens  could  not  have  been 
brought  together  throughout  the  entire  length  and 
breadth  of  our  country,  who  were  capable  of  discharg- 
ing the  simplest  duties  of  military  engineering  in  the 
field." 

In  December,  1834,  the  plan  of  substituting  a  mili- 
tary school  for  the  Lexington  Company  of  State  Guards 
was  finally  discussed  at  a  meeting  of  the  Franklin  Liter- 
ary Society  in  Lexington,  and  endorsed  by  most  of  its 
members,  among  whom  were  many  prominent  pro- 
fessional men  and  other  citizens  of  the  town.  The  dis- 
cussion led  to  the  publication  in  August,  1835,  in  the 
Lexington  Gazette  of  a  series  of  three  articles,  over  the 
nom  de  plume  of  "Civis'\,  proposing  the  plan  for  public- 
consideration. 

Now,  ''Civis"  was  John  Thomas  Lewis  Preston,  Esq., 
a  prominent  young  lawj^^er  of  Lexington,  who  has  ex- 
pressly declared  that  he  was  not  the  originator  of  the 
idea.*  Crozet  had  been  away  from  Virginia  less  than 
two  years,  and  it  seems  reasonable  to  conclude  that  he 
was  one  of  the  originators  of  the  plan,  if  not  solely  re- 
sponsible for  its  first  suggestion. 

In  the  elaboration  of  the  plan,  however,  Preston,  who 
was  not  a  soldier  by  education  and  training,  took  the 

♦History  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,   Smith,  p.   14. 


Oi 
CO 
00 


< 

zr. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  33 

leading  part.  This,  undoubtedly,  accounts  for  the  fact 
that  little  mention  was  at  first  made  of  West  Point.  He 
stated  the  object  of  the  proposed  measure  to  be  "to 
supply  the  place  of  the  present  guard  by  another,  com- 
posed of  young  men  from  seventeen  to  twenty-four 
years  of  age,  to  perform  the  necessary  duties  of  a  guard, 
who  would  receive  no  pay,  but,  in  lieu,  have  afforded  to 
them  the  opportunities  of  a  liberal  education."  In  other 
words,  he  lost  sight,  through  lack  of  a  proper  under- 
standing of  the  needs  of  the  country  and  of  the  state, 
of  the  primary  concept  of  the  originator  of  the  idea.* 
But  though  lacking  in  military  training  Mr.  Preston 
was  brilliant  and  capable.  A  typical  Virginian  in  ap- 
pearance, he  was  six  feet  in  height,  well  proportioned, 
graceful,  courteous,  dignified,  cordial,  quick-witted, 
fluent,  masterful,  and,  therefore,  had  the  qualities  which 
make  good  officers.  With  natural  gifts  of  exceptional 
order  he  had  received  at  Washington  College,  the  Uni- 
versity of  Virginia,  and  Yale  College,  the  best  education 
the  country  afforded.  His  tastes  for  intellectual  pur- 
suits had  been  fostered  by  his  profession  and  by  foreign 
travel,  as  well  as  by  constant  study  and  reading.  He 
was  a  grandson  of  Edmund  Randolph,  Washington's 
Secretary  of  State,  and  in  his  veins  coursed  the  cavalier 
blood  of  the  Nicholases,  Peytons,  and  other  equally  dis- 
tinguished families,  as  well  as  the  sturdy  strain  of  the 
Scotch-Irish  Prestons. 

Lexington  and  Rockbridge  County  were  not  slow  to 
recognize  the  wisdom  of  "Civis"  and  a  memorial  was 
soon  presented  the  Virginia  Legislature  urging  the 
adoption  of  the  plan,  by  Mr.  Preston  in  person;  which 
resulted  in  an  Act  of  Assembly,  183.5-6,  providing  for 
the  disbanding  of  the  Lexington  Arsenal,  the  substitu- 
tion of  a  military  school  therefor,  and  the  appointment 
of  a  Board  of  Visitors,  consisting  of  four  members,  with 
the  Adjutant-General,  eoc-officio.    At  first,  the  Legis- 

*Ibid,  pp.  15,  18,  21. 


34-  The  Military  History  of 

lature  contemplated  the  organization  of  the  School  as 
a  mere  department  of  or  annex  to  Washington  College ; 
but  amended  its  original  Act  in  1837-38;  repealed  it 
outright  in  1838-39;  and  in  March,  1839,  gave  the 
School  an  entirely  independent  organization. 

The  new  School,  the  second  governmental  Military 
Academy  in  America  (West  Point  being  the  first), 
was  named  by  Mr.  Preston.  "Virginia  Mihtary  Insti- 
tute seemed  appropriately  significant,  Virginia  as  a 
State  Institution,  neither  sectional  nor  denominational. 
Military,  indicating  its  characteristic  feature.  Institute, 
as  something  different  from  either  college  or  university. 
The  three  elements  thus  indicated  are  the  basis  of  a 
triangular  pyramid  of  which  the  sides  will  preserve  their 
mutual  relation  to  whatever  height  the  structure  may 
rise." 

The  Virginia  Military  Institute  was  created  just  as 
Captain  Crozet  resumed  his  office  as  State  Engineer  of 
Virginia.  We  are  told  that  he  was  "persuaded"  to  ac- 
cept reappointment.  Can  it  be  that  the  consummation 
of  a  pet  scheme  in  the  founding  of  the  Military  Institute 
had  something  to  do  with  his  decision?  At  any  rate, 
he  was  immediately  appointed  President  of  the  first 
Board  of  Visitors,  and  set  about  the  work  of  organiza- 
tion with  the  same  spirit  he  and  Bernard  had  displayed 
at  West  Point.  To  him  is  due  much  credit  for  the  orig- 
inal scheme  of  oi'ganization  and  development,  for  at 
once  the  lay  ideas  of  Preston  were  supplanted  by  the 
professional  ideas  of  the  French  soldier,  and  the  cadet 
stepped  forth  in  the  uniform  of  the  young  Guard  of 
France,  already  adopted  at  the  National  Academy! 

From  the  outset,  the  School  was  impressed  with  the 
most  thorough  military  character.  Besides  the  Gover- 
nor, the  Adjutant-General,  and  three  civilians  (one  of 
whom,  James  McDowell,  was  subsequently  Governor 
of  Virginia),  the  first  Board  of  Visitors  contained 
Colonel  Claude  Crozet  (President),  Captain  John  F. 
Wiley,  a  veteran  of  1812,  General  Thomas  H.  Botts, 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  35 

General  Charles  P.  Dorman,  and  General  Peter  C. 
Johnston.*  With  four  generals,  one  colonel,  and  one 
captain  on  the  Board,  the  military  idea  seems  to  have 
been  quite  carefully  kept  in  view!  Governor  Campbell 
knew  that  soldiers  were  best  qualified  to  do  a  soldier's 
work. 

The  influence  of  Crozet  and  his  military  comrades  of 
the  first  Board  is  clearly  reflected  in  the  original  cur- 
riculum of  study  prescribed,  which  embraced  Mathe- 
matics, Mechanics,  Chemistry,  Engineering,  Tactics, 
French,  German,  English,  and  German  Literature. 

♦Peter  C.  Johnston  was  the  brother  of  Joseph  E.  Johnston.  General 
Thomas  H.  Botts  married  Mary  Stone,  of  Fredericksburg,  about  1829.  Both 
died  before  the  war.  Their  children  were  William,  Benjamin,  Henry,  Albert, 
and  Mary  Berkeley.  Bernard  Peyton  was  born  March  14,  1792.  Died  June 
21,  1854.  He  married  Julia  Green,  October  1,  1817.  Peyton  was  appointed 
first  lieutenant  in  the  20th  infantry,  U.  S.  A.,  on  March  12,  1812,  and  became 
captain  in  the  same  on  April  16,  1813.  In  1825  he  was  appointed  Adjutant- 
General  of  Virginia,  in  which  ofl5ce  he  was  succeeded  by  William  H.  Richardson. 
From  1838  to  1844  he  was  postmaster  of  Richmond.  His  children  were  Thomas 
Jefferson,  Bernard,  Moses  Green,  Thomas  Green,  Susan  Scott,  and  Julia  A. 


36  The  Miijtary  History  of 


CHAPTER  II 

FOUNDING  OF  THE  SECOND  AMERICAN   SCHOOL  OF  ARMS* 

In  the  foregoing  chapter  the  influence  of  West  Point 
upon  the  creation  of  a  School  of  Arms  in  Virginia  has 
been  clearly  demonstrated;  and  it  is  not  difficult  to 
understand  that  the  views  of  Washington,  Knox,  and 
Bernard  were  entertained  by  Crozet,  as  well  as  by  the 
other  prominent  military  men  connected  with  the  Mili- 
tary Institute  of  Virginia,  when  it  was  first  established. 
The  voice  of  these  men  was  certainly  a  controlling  one 
in  all  the  deliberations  of  the  first  governing  body  of 
the  School;  and,  thoroughly  in  accord  with  Crozet,  his 
fellow-soldiers,  as  well  as  the  other  illustrious  members 
of  the  Board,  were  only  too  glad  to  give  him  a  free  hand 
in  the  organization  of  the  Institute. 

The  keynote  of  the  new  system  of  education  they 
proposed  was  that  first,  last,  and  all  the  time  the  cadet- 
student  should  be  a  soldier,  for  it  was  not  believed  by 
the  founders  of  the  School  that  military  training,  with 
the  habits  of  discipline  in  mind  and  body  which  it  in- 
volved, was  in  any  way  subversive  of,  or  inconsistent 
with,  good  citizenship.  Their  purpose  was  not  to  sup- 
ply officers  for  the  regular  military  establishment, — nor 
has  such  been  the  aim  of  the  authorities  at  any  time, 
except  during  the  period  of  the  Civil  War.  The  mission 
of  the  Institute  was  clearly  differentiated  from  that  of 
the  National  Academy,  the  sole  aim  of  which  has  neces- 
sarily been  to  furnish  the  nation  with  officers  trained  in 
the  fundamental  principles  of  command.  The  Vir- 
ginia Military  Institute,  on  the  other  hand,  was  created 
for  the  purpose  of  providing  a  liberal  education,  coupled 
with  a  military  training,  in  the  belief  that  its  graduates 
would  prove  valuable  citizens,  all  the  more  useful  be- 

*Norwich  University  of  Vermont  dates  from  1819,  but  it  is  a  private 
institution  and  one  in  whicb  tlie  military  feature  is  not  of  paramount  im- 
portance. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  37 

cause  capable  of  bearing  arms  efficiently  in  the  hour  of 
their  country's  need.  The  whole  conception  of  the 
School  was  in  accord  with  the  recommendation  of  Wash- 
ington which  has  already  been  cited.  "However  pacific 
the  general  policy  of  a  nation  may  be,  it  ought  never 
to  be  without  an  adequate  stock  of  military  knowledge 
for  emergencies."  Congress  recognized  the  national 
want  by  the  creation  of  West  Point.  Virginia  met  the 
needs  of  her  people  in  the  establishment  of  her  own 
Military  Institute.  Thus,  the  nation  undertook  to  sup- 
ply the  trained  regular,  and  the  Old  Dominion  the 
trained  volunteer  officer,— acts  on  the  part  of  each 
thoroughly  compatible  with  the  spirit  of  the  Federal 
Constitution. 

Having  framed  their  general  plan,  the  Board  of 
Visitors  recognized  the  fact  that  its  successful  develop- 
ment depended  upon  the  character  and  abilities  of  the 
man  who  should  superintend  its  execution.  Accord- 
ingly, there  was  no  hurry  in  the  selection  of  that  official. 
Established  by  legislative  Act  of  March,  1837,  it  was 
not  until  April,  1839,  after  nearly  two  years  of  careful 
investigation,  that  the  first  Superintendent  for  the 
School  was  decided  upon,  and  he  was  invited  to  pre- 
sent his  acceptance  of  appointment  to  the  Board  the 
following  month. 

Happily,  the  choice  fell  upon  one  whose  subsequent 
career  ably  testifies  to  the  wisdom  of  the  selection. 

Fi-ancis  Henney  Smith  was  born  in  Norfolk,  Vir- 
ginia, October  18,  1812,  of  aristocratic  Enghsh  and  Vir- 
ginia parents.  He  was,  then,  a  gentleman  by  blood, 
environment,  and  early  training.  July  1,  1829,  he  was 
appointed  a  cadet  of  the  United  States  Military 
Academy,  and  was  graduated  with  distinction  with  the 
Class  of  1833.  As  to  his  associates  during  the  period 
of  his  cadetship,  and  the  character  of  his  education,  one 
need  only  consult  the  records  of  the  Academy.  Both 
were  the  highest  the  country  afforded. 

November  30,  1833,  he  was  assigned  to  the  celebrated 
First  Artillery  with  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant,  and 


38  The  Military  History  of 

thus  again  he  was  thrown  in  contact  with  men  of  dis- 
tinguished character  and  abihty.  But  his  military  ser- 
vice was  of  short  duration,  for  he,  hke  many  other 
officers  of  the  time,  resigned  from  the  army  to  enter 
the  civil  walks  of  life.  The  army  at  that  period  offered 
small  prospect  of  advancement,  and,  in  fact,  the  life  of 
the  soldier  held  little  allurement  for  men  of  intellect, 
not  specially  devoted  to  a  militarj^  career.  And,  so  it 
was  that  Lieutenant  Smith  resigned  his  coimnission. 
May  1,  1836,  to  accept  the  professorship  of  Mathe- 
matics,— a  subject  in  which  he  was  particularly  gifted, 
— at  Hampden- Sidney  College,  Virginia. 

Although  one  finds  no  mention  of  the  matter  in  the 
records  of  the  Institute,  the  writer  is  inclined  to  believe 
a  certain  influence  led  to  the  selection  of  Francis  H. 
Smith  as  the  first  executive  and  Principal  Professor  of 
the  Institute.  At  any  rate,  the  following  circumstances 
are  narrated: 

William  Nelson  Pendleton,  of  Caroline  County,  Vir- 
ginia, was  graduated  from  West  Point,  July  4,  1830. 
He  was  a  First  Classman  at  the  Academy  when  Smith 
entered  as  a  "plebe,"  and  being  from  Virginia  naturally 
became  interested  in  his  fellow-countryman,  as  cadets 
are  wont  to  do.  A  great  religious  revival  was  sweeping 
over  the  country  at  the  time,  and  the  spirit  invaded  the 
Academy.  Pendleton  and  Smith  were  both  intensely 
religious,  and  were,  therefore,  more  than  ordinarily  con- 
genial. In  September,  1831,  Lieutenant  Pendleton  of 
the  Artillery  was  ordered  back  to  the  Academy  as 
Assistant  Professor  of  Mathematics,  in  which  capacity 
he  served  for  one  year.  In  October,  1833,  after  an  irk- 
some year  of  garrison  life,  Pendleton  resigned  his  com- 
mission and  accepted  the  professorship  of  Mathematics 
at  the  newly  organized  Episcopal  College,  near  Bristol, 
Pennsvlvania.  In  Mav,  1837,  he  was  ordained  Deacon 
in  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  Diocese  of  Vir- 
ginia, by  Bishop  Meade  at  the  Convention  in  Peters- 
burg, Virginia,  and  accepted  a  professorship  at  Newark 
College,  Delaware.     In  1839  he  was  appointed  Head- 


The  Vikginia  Military  Institute  39 

Master  of  the  Episcopal  High  School,  near  Alexandria, 
which  Bishop  Meade  founded  that  year.* 

General  Smith  tells  us  that  the  offer  of  appointment 
as  professor  at  the  Institute  came  to  him  through  Rev. 
George  A.  Baxter,  D.  D.,  President  of  the  Theological 
Seminary  at  Alexandria.  Dr.  Baxter  and  Pendleton 
were  well  acquainted  and  both  had  just  attended  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Episcopal  Sjmod  in  Lexington,  where  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  Superintendent  for  the  Institute  was 
being  widely  discussed.  It  is  possible,  therefore,  that 
Pendleton  may  have  suggested  the  narne  of  his  friend, 
whose  presence  in  Virginia,  whose  skill  as  a  teacher, 
training  as  a  soldier,  and  character  as  a  Christian,  all 
recommended  his  fitness  for  the  position. 

And  yet,  the  name  of  Francis  H.  Smith  may  have 
been  suggested  in  another  way  to  the  Board  of  Visitors. 
Joseph  Reid  Anderson  of  Richmond,  later  a  Confeder- 
ate brigadier-general,  and  the  noted  proprietor  of  the 
Tredegar  Iron  Works,  had  been  a  cadet  at  West  Point 
with  Smith.  After  serving  as  a  lieutenant  in  the  Third 
Artillery,  he  transferred  to  the  Engineer  Corps  in  1836 
and  resigned  his  commission  in  1837  to  become  First 
Assistant  Engineer  of  Virginia.  This  placed  Anderson 
in  intimate  association  with  Crozet,  the  President  of  the 
Board  of  Visitors,  who  was  Chief  Engineer  of  Vir- 
ginia. There  is  good  authority  for  the  belief  that 
Anderson  himself  was  Crozet's  first  choice  but  declined 
to  be  a  candidate.  Smith  always  believed  that  Ander- 
son was  a  candidate  for  the  office  and  the  amusing  story 
has  become  current  that  when  the  names  of  Anderson 
and  Smith  were  being  discussed  before  the  Board,  the 
advocates  of  the  two  candidates  devoted  most  of  their 
time  to  singing  the  praises  of  Mrs.  Anderson  and  Mrs. 
Smith.  The  story  further  has  it  that  this  more  or  less 
irrelevant  discussion  continued  without  signs  of  abating 
until  the  humorous  Crozet  rose  and  called  for  a  vote 
as  to  which  one  of  the  ladies  should  be  Superintendent ! 

♦Memoirs    of   William    Nelson    Pendleton,    Lee. 


40  The  Military  History  of 

Colonel  Joseph  R.  Anderson,  the  present  Historiog- 
rapher of  the  Institute,  declares  that  his  father's  name 
never  came  before  the  Board;  that  he  was  not  a  candi- 
date; and  that  he  was  merely  approached  by  Crozet  and 
declined  to  become  a  candidate.  Having  been  a  cadet 
with  Smith,  it  is  possible,  therefore,  that  Anderson  sug- 
gested Smith's  name  to  Crozet. 

The  foregoing  facts  have  been  presented  at  some 
length  for  the  purpose  of  fully  tracing  out  the  West 
Point  influence  upon  the  Institute,  a  matter  which  has 
never  been  adequately  presented. 

The  appointment  of  Smith  was  also  advocated  by 
Major  Charles  H.  Smith,  of  Norfolk,  Paymaster  U.  S. 
Army,  who  was  brother-in-law  of  General  Thomas  H. 
Botts,  of  the  Board  of  Visitors;  but  we  have  no  reason 
to  believe  that  Major  Smith  first  suggested  the  name  of 
his  friend  to  the  Board. 

The  original  plan  of  the  founders  of  the  School  con- 
templated a  quota  of  40  cadets,  one  to  be  appointed 
from  each  senatorial  district  of  the  State.  Smith,  who 
had  acquired  uncoixanon  repute  as  a  teacher,  and  who 
was  a  man  of  ambition,  was  unwilling  to  accept  a  posi- 
tion of  such  limited  scope  as  that  offered  him,  and  de- 
clined to  appear  before  the  Board  of  Visitors,  as 
requested;  but,  notwithstanding  this  attitude  on  his 
part,  he  was  imanimously  elected  Principal  Professor, 
with  rank  of  major,  and  duties  as  Commandant  of 
Cadets,  June  8,  1839.  July  1,  he  accepted  the  appoint- 
ment after  long  and  thoughtful  deliberation. 

The  first  official  act  of  Major  Smith  was  to  confer 
with  Colonel  Thayer,  the  distinguished  and  successful 
Superintendent  of  West  Point,  for  the  purpose  of  secur- 
ing suggestions  from  him,  as  well  as  samples  of  the 
uniforms,  arms  and  equipment  in  use  at  the  Academy. 
Soon  after  his  acceptance,  he  received  a  letter  from 
Colonel  Crozet  which  placed  at  rest  all  fears  the  soldier 
Smith  entertained  about  the  military  character  to  be 
imparted  to  the  new  School.  An  extract  from  that 
letter  follows : 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  41 

"Lexington,  September  12,  1829. 

"Major  Francis  H.  Smith. 

"Dear  Sir — You  will  receive  by  mail  a  printed  copy  of  the 
Regulations  adopted  by  the  Board  of  Visitors  for  the  government 
of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute. 

"We  understand  that  it  is  your  intention  to  take  a  trip  to  the 
North  previous  to  your  coming  to  this  place:  in  this  event,  you 
might  assist  the  Board  in  procuring  several  things  which  will  be 
wanted  at,  or  shortly  after,  the  opening  of  the  Institute.  Among 
them  are  some  parts  of  the  uniform  and  accoutrements,  which,  you 
will  observe,  are  similar  to  those  used  at  West  Point. 

"Would  it  be  convenient  to  you,  while  there,  to  inquire  what 
prospect  there  would  be  of  obtaining  100  such  muskets  and  com- 
plete accoutrements  as  are  used  there,  and  to  take  such  steps  as 
will  secure  this  object  speedily,  as  also  from  fifty  to  one  hundred 
caps  introduced  by  Major  Delafield  without  the  plate,  of  course? 
The  muskets  and  equipment  will  be  obtained  from  the  U.  S.  Gov- 
ernment, free  of  charge.  It  will,  consequently,  be  sufficient  to 
apply  for  them  in  the  proper  quarter,  and  correspond  with  General 
Peyton,  if  necessary,  on  the  subject,  as  regards  the  caps.  If  you 
can  purchase  them,  you  can  draw,  or  direct  the  merchant  to  draw, 
on  Mr.  Hugh  Barclay,  the  Treasurer  of  the  Institution."* 

Observe  how  Crozet  used  the  word,  "Institute."  That 
was  the  term  he  apphed  by  habit  to  his  own  Ahna 
Mater.  Can  it  be  doubted  that  he  proposed  the  name 
to  Preston?  Also,  observe  that  he  is  in  Lexington 
busying  himself  with  his  pet  hobby.  Honoring  General 
Smith  for  his  superb  executive  ability,  we  must  in 
justice  to  truth  deny  him  both  the  titles  of  "father"  and 
of  "founder"  of  the  Institute,  fo?'  such  was  Claude 
Crozet. 

The  annual  cost  to  the  State  of  maintaining  the  Lex- 
ington Arsenal  and  the  Guard  therefor  was  $6,000. 
Upon  the  creation  of  the  Institute,  as  a  substitute  for 
the  Arsenal,  the  same  amount  was  provided  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  school.  This  annuity  was  quite  inadequate, 
and  the  available  quarters  and  facilities  were  equally  so. 
But,  in  September,  1839,  twenty  State  Cadets  and  thir- 
teen Pay  Cadets  were  appointed  by  the  Board,  and 
ordered  to  report  for  duty  November  11th. 

*Smith's  History,  p.  46. 


42  The  Military  History  of 

The  Superintendent  met  the  Board  for  the  first  time 
on  the  11th  of  November,  1839,  when  he  reported  for 
duty,  and  was  placed  in  command  of  the  Virginia  Mili- 
tary Institute.  He  was,  personally,  a  stranger  to  every 
member  of  the  Board,  but  was  received  by  them  with 
such  courtesy  and  consideration  as  to  inspire  him  with 
great  encouragement  and  hopefulness  as  he  entered 
upon  the  discharge  of  his  responsible  duties. 

Twenty  cadets  reported  for  duty,  were  examined  by 
the  Superintendent  in  Franklin  Hall,  in  the  presence  of 
the  Board  of  Visitors;  and,  their  duties  having  been 
fully  explained  to  them,  under  the  regulations,  they 
signed  their  matriculation  obligation,  and  were  then 
marched  by  their  commanding  officer  to  the  Arsenal, 
relieving  the  Public  Guard  of  their  duty,  and  were 
placed  in  charge  of  the  public  property;  while  Ad- 
jutant-General Peyton  raised  the  flag  of  Virginia  over 
the  walls  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  to  signalize 
the  exclusive  proprietorship  of  Virginia  in  the  Institu- 
tion, and  her  purpose  to  maintain  and  defend  it. 

Such  was  the  inspiring  ceremony  attending  the 
entrance  of  America's  second  School  of  Arms  upon  the 
field  of  national — nay  more,  world-wide  usefulness.  The 
incident  was  epochal;  and  what  were  the  sentiments 
animating  those  who  participated  in  the  dedication  of 
this  School  of  Arms  to  the  Majesty  of  Virginia,  can  only 
be  suggested  by  the  lines  which  a  noble  woman,  the  wife 
of  the  first  Superintendent,  contributed  to  the  occasion. 
As  we  read  them,  we  are  reminded  of  the  prayer  which 
a  little  group  of  Englishmen  offered  to  God  May  13, 
1607,  as  they  stood  with  heads  bared  and  bowed  on  the 
strange  shore  of  Jamestown  Island,  and  of  those  other 
pilgrims  who  later  knelt  upon  the  rock  of  Plymouth, — 
both  with  an  unknown  world  and  future  stretching  out 
before  them : 

"Our  work  is  nobly  done, 

We  have  raised  our  flag  on  high, 
A  pledge  is  made  at  Freedom's  shrine 
That  speaks  in  every  eye; 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  43 

And  hearts  with  fervor  and  with  faith 

In  youthful  courage  strong, 
Are  echoing  back  the  patriot  cry: 

My  country,  right  or  wrong. 

"It  is  waving  high  in  air, 

And  Liberty's  proud  form, 
Borne  upward  by  the  mountain  breeze. 

In  sunshine  and  in  storm, 
Is  planted  on  the  tyrant's  breast; 

Thus  shall  it  ever  be. 
For  while  Virginia  owns  her  name. 

Her  gallant  sons  are  free. 

"It  is  waving  high  in  air, 

We  will  guard  it  while  we  live, 
Our  fathers  shed  their  hearts 

This  heritage  to  give. 
No  traitor  spirit  soils  our  ranks. 

Our  birthright  we  will  keep, 
And  freemen  proudly  tread  the  soil, 

Till  under  it  we  sleep." 

These  lofty  sentiments  proved  to  be  no  vain  boast,  for 
within  a  quarter  of  a  century  from  the  day  they  were 
expressed, — a  day  when  nature  gently  spread  her  carpet 
of  snow  over  the  blue  hills  which  surrounded  the  scene, 
as  if  in  token  of  the  purity  of  the  new-born  child, — Vir- 
ginia's soil  was  reddened  with  the  blood  of  many  of  those 
present,  including  a  number  of  the  twenty  cadets  who, 
on  November  11,  1839,  pledged  their  allegiance  to  the 
Old  Dominion.  Within  that  time,  249  eleves  of  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute  proved  their  devotion  to  the 
flag  they  had  been  taught  to  follow  by  offering  up  their 
lives  upon  the  altar  of  Liberty!  Verily,  did  the  school 
of  Crozet  make  useful  citizens  of  Virginia's  youth ! 
Verily,  did  the  form  of  Washington  which  stood  before 
the  sally-port  of  their  barracks  inspire  them  with  that 
patriotism  synonymous  with  his  name;  for  when  the 
Mother  of  States  uttered  in  the  anguish  of  her  soul  the 
battle-cry  of  freedom,  over  1,700  of  her  children,  bearing 
on  their  shields  the  V.  M.  I.  motto,  "In  Pace  Decus,  In 
Bello  Praesidium,"  seized  their  arms  and  responded  to 


44  The  Militaky  History  of 

her  siinimons!  Glorious,  glorious  record,  unequalled  in 
the  history  of  man !  Can  it  be  forgotten  by  the  South- 
land or  any  other  country  where  men  are  bred?  How 
noble  the  precept,  how  priceless  the  heritage,  Virginia's 
Military  Institute  has  transmitted  to  the  posterity  of 
our  united  nation.  Let  it  be  forgotten  that  these  valiant 
sons  of  the  V.  M.  I.  arrayed  themselves  in  battle  against 
their  fellow-men,  and  only  let  it  be  remembered,  and 
recorded  in  paraphrase : 

They  pledged  themselves  at  Freedom's  shrine. 

In  youthful  courage  strong, 
And  echoed  back  the  patriot's  cry: 

"My  coimtry,  right  or  wrong." 
No  traitor  spirit  soiled  their  ranks, 

Their  lives  a  birthright  kept: 
With  honor  bled  for  native  soil, 

Till  under  it  they  slept. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  45 


CHAPTER  III 

"the  west  point  of  the  south"  and  major  gilham 

We  can  not  in  a  work  of  this  character  expect  to 
follow  out  in  detail  the  physical  development  of  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the 
Superintendent  fully  comprehended  the  opportunity 
before  him  and  with  great  zeal  turned  every  advantage 
to  account.  The  following  brief  account  of  the  physical 
condition  of  the  post  when  turned  over  to  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute  is  interesting:* 

"The  buildings,  as  they  were  occupied  by  the  old  State 
Guard,  consisted  of  a  barracks  of  brick,  two  stories  high, 
and  an  Arsenal  four  stories  high,  also  of  brick,  contain- 
ing boxes  packed  with  flint-lock  muskets  and  rifles,  cart- 
ridge boxes  and  'pipe  clay'  leather  belts.  The  buildings 
were  enclosed  by  a  brick  wall,  twenty  feet  high,  and  the 
windows  of  the  Barracks  were  securely  defended  by 
stout  iron  bars,  to  restrain  the  wandering  propensities 
of  the  guard.  The  only  lights  used  for  the  cadets  were 
tin  lamps  in  which  whale  oil  was  burned.  The  water 
consumed  by  cadets,  both  for  ablution  and  for  drinking 
purposes,  was  hauled  in  barrels  from  springs  near  the 
grounds. 

"The  basement  of  the  Arsenal,  with  a  brick  floor,  was 
utilized  for  a  mess  hall,  and  was  heated  by  an  ordinary 
iron  stove.  The  steward  and  commissary,  with  his  fam- 
ily, occupied  two  or  three  rooms  in  the  central  portion 
of  the  second  story  of  the  Barracks. 

"The  present  parade  ground  was  partly  under  culti- 
vation as  a  corn  field,  intersected  by  worm  fences,  and 
mioccupied  by  any  buildings  except  a  few  log  cabins, 
which  were  utilized  as  section  rooms.  There  was  no 
professor's  house  as  yet  constructed;  except  a  brick 
house,    built    for    the    Superintendent,    Major    Smith, 

•Written  bv  Col.  Edmund  Pendleton,  Class  of  1842,  one  of  the  oiiirina! 
matriculates,  for  the  V.  M.  I.  Bomb  of  1896. 


46  The  Military  History  of 

which  stood  at  the  west  end  of  the  Barracks,  with  its 
gable  fronting  southward. 

"The  only  tree  on  the  parade  ground  at  that  time 
was  the  hickory  known  as  the  'Guard  Tree,'  which  still 
stands  on  the  grounds.  There  were  a  few  cedar  trees  on 
the  face  of  the  hill,  which  have  long  since  ceased  to  exist. 
The  face  of  the  hill  was  deeply  cut  by  gullies,  which 
have  since  been  filled  up.  No  path  or  avenue  at  that 
time  connected  the  V.  M.  I.  with  Washington  College, 
and  the  only  way  of  reaching  the  town  of  Lexington 
was  by  a  pathway  leading  down  the  hill  to  the  extension 
of  Main  Street. 

"Those  who  are  old  enough  to  remember  the  winter 
of  1839  and  '40,  will  recall  it  as  a  winter  conspicuous 
for  its  severity.  The  ground,  from  the  11th  of  No- 
vember, was  covered  with  snow  for  the  greater  portion 
of  the  winter.  But  miUtary  discipline  and  the  regular 
performance  of  guard  duty  was  strictly  enforced  in 
spite  of  the  weather.  At  that  time  no  tailors  had  been 
appointed  at  the  Institute,  and  the  sole  dependence  of 
the  cadets  for  proper  clothing  was  upon  the  few  tailors 
in  the  town  of  Lexington.  The  clothing  department 
was  not  yet  organized,  and  not  until  after  the  newly- 
appointed  cadets  had  arrived,  were  any  purchases  made 
of  cloth  or  buttons  for  the  uniforms.  The  temporary 
supply  of  rough  blanket  overcoats  was  purchased  for 
the  use  of  the  sentinels,  to  protect  them  against  the 
severe  wintry  blasts.  The  consequence  was  that  colds 
Avere  very  prevalent  among  the  cadets,  and  great  dis- 
satisfaction and  a  spirit  of  mutiny  prevailed  to  a  large 
extent.  So  much  so  that  a  meeting  assembled  and 
angrily  discussed  the  question  whether  they  would  not 
disband  and  return  to  their  homes.  This  action,  on  be- 
ing put  to  the  vote,  very  narrowly  escaped  being  de- 
cided in  the  affirmative;  but  the  resolute  spirit  of  a  few 
of  the  cadets,  upheld  and  encouraged  by  their  young 
Superintendent,  who  was  then  but  twenty-six  years 
old,  saved  the  imperilled  life  of  the  Institute." 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  47 

It  is  proper  to  record  here  the  names  of  the  original 
matriculates  in  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  or  those  cadets 
who  comprised  the  Corps  of  1839-40.    They  were: 

1.  John  S.  L.  Logan,  of  Rockbridge  County. 

2.  Philip  J.  Winn,  of  Fluvanna  County. 

*3.  Thomas  J.  B.  Cramer,  of  Frederick  County. 

4.  James  Kanney,  of  Rockingham  County. 

6.  John  W.  Jones,  of  Shenandoah  County. 

*6.  John  T.  Smith,  of  Norfolk  City. 

*7.  James  H.  Jameson,  of  Culpeper  County. 

*8.  Charles  P.  Deyerle,  of  Roanoke  County. 

*9.  Valentine  C.  Saunders,  of  I.oudoun  County. 

*10.  W.  M.  Elliott,  of  Buckingham  County. 

*11.  John  B.  Strange,  of  Albemarle  County. 

12.  Benjamin  Sharp,  of  Lee  County. 

13.  Charles  A.  Crump,  of  Powhatan  County. 
*14.  O.  M.  Knight,  of  Nottoway  County. 

15.  B.  B.  Tibbs,  of  Monongalia  County. 

*16.  James  H.  Lawrence,  of  Caroline  County. 

*17.  William  A.  Forbes,  of  Richmond  City. 

18.  Henry  B.  Sumpter,  of  Campbell  County. 

*19.  Edmund  Pendleton,  of  Botetourt  County. 

*20.  William  D.  Fair,  of  Amherst  County. 

*21.  William  S.  Beale,  of  Shenandoah  County. 

*22.  Joseph  W.  Bell,  of  Augusta  County. 

23.  C.  E.  Carter,  of  Albemarle  County. 

*24.  William  H.  Henderson,  of  Loudoun  County. 

*25.  Louis  A.  Garnett,  of  Essex  County. 

*26.  James  Marshall,  of  Warren  County. 

27.  Lemuel  B.  Prvor,  of  Brunswick  County. 

28.  David  Chilton,  of  Kanawha  County. 

29.  Hamilton  L.  Shields,  of  Norfolk  City. 

30.  John  S.  Swann,  of  Powhatan  County. 

31.  R.  B.  Worthington,  of . 

Of  the  foregoing  named  matriculates  Shields  and 
Swann  entered  the  Institute  December  5,  1839;  Worth- 
ington  March  1,  1840,  and  all  the  others  at  the  opening 
of  the  Institute.  Those  before  whose  name  appears  a 
star  were  graduated  in  1842  except  Beale,  who  was 
graduated  the  following  year. 

As  the  spring  of  1840  opened,  practical  military  in- 
struction was  commenced  and  the  31  cadets  in  their  trim 
coatees  soon  comprised  a  natty  military  company  as 


48  The  Military  History  of 

excellent  in  drill  as  in  discipline  and  personnel.  From 
the  hour  Major  Smith  took  command  of  the  little  Corps, 
every  cadet  had  been  held  to  a  strict  accomit  for  the 
performance  of  his  dutJ^  The  first  order  of  the  Com- 
mandant had  dispelled  any  idea  that  may  have  been 
entertained  that  the  militarj^  duty  of  the  cadet  was  to 
be  a  farce.     That  order  is  here  inserted: 

"Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"Lexington,  Va.,  November  11,  1839. 

"Orders — No.   1. 

"I.  Maj.  Francis  H.  Smith  assumes  command  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute.  All  reports,  permits,  etc.,  will  be  made  to  him 
during  the  morning  office  hours. 

"II.  The  present  guard  will  consist  of  one  sergeant,  one 
corporal,  and  three  privates,  and  one  sentinel  will  be  habitually- 
posted  at  the  main  gate. 

"III.     The  following  temporary  appointments  are  made: 

"Cadet  W.  D.  Fair,  to  be  Adjutant  of  Corps  of  Cadets. 

"Cadet  H.  B.  Sumpter,  to  be  First  Sergeant. 

"Cadet  J.  H.  Jameson,  to  be  Second  Sergeant. 

"Cadet  I..  A.  Garnett,  to  be  Third  Sergeant. 

"Cadet  J.  H.  Lawrence,  to  be  Fourth  Sergeant. 

"Cadet  C.  E.  Carter,  to  be  First  Corporal. 

"Cadet  W.  S.  Beale,  to  be  Second  Corporal. 

"Cadet  T.  J.  B.  Cramer,  to  be  Third  Corporal. 

"Cadet  J.  W.  Jones,  to  be  Fourth  Corporal. 

"Cadet  V.  C.  Saunders,  to  be  Fifth  Corporal. 

"IV.  The  exercises  of  the  Institute  will  commence  on  Monday 
next,  by  which  time  cadets  will  apply  to  Mr.  Hugh  Barclay  for  one 
copy  each  of  the  following  text-books : 

"Davies  Bourdon's  Algebra, 
"Levizac's  French  Grammar. 
"By  Order, 

"Francis  H.  Smith, 

"Major  Commanding." 

The  first  Guard-Book  is  still  on  file  at  the  Institute. 
It  might  be  easily  taken  for  the  one  of  yesterday. 

The  organization  of  the  Corps  included,  besides  the 
Commandant  and  the  cadets,  the  negro  musicians, 
Reuben  Howard  and  Mike,  drummer  and  fifer  formerly 
attached  to  the  Arsenal  Gviard. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  49 

During  the  cold  winter  of  1839-40,  in  which  many 
hardships  were  encountered  by  the  Commandant  and 
the  cadets,  two  new  members  were  appointed  to  the 
Board  of  Visitors.  These  were  Adjutant-General  Wil- 
liam H.  Richardson,  vice  Peyton,  and  General  William 
Ligon,  a  veteran  of  the  War  of  1812,  vice  Wile5^ 

The  Board  met  in  Lexington  in  June  to  conduct  the 
annual  examinations  and  to  inspect  the  Corps  of  Cadets. 
Colonel  Crozet  conducted  the  academic  examination 
with  the  skill  for  which  he  was  noted,  and  the  diminutive 
Corps  was  reviewed  by  the  Board.  So  satisfactory 
were  the  results  of  the  first  year's  work  found  to  be  that 
from  that  day  the  Institute  bore  the  title  of  "West  Point 
of  the  South,"  and  its  fame  rapidly  spread  abroad.  The 
title  did  not  originate,  as  is  thought  by  some,  at  the  time 
of  the  War  between  the  States,  when  so  many  graduates 
and  eleves  of  the  Institute  entered  the  military  service. 

In  June,  1840,  the  Corps  was  more  than  doubled  in 
size,  and  the  number  of  applicants  for  admission  as  Pay 
Cadets  largely  exceeded  the  nmiiber  which  the  Institute 
could  accommodate.  It  now  became  necessary  to  re- 
vise the  original  Regulations  and  it  was  at  this  time  that 
the  General  Assembly  authorized  the  granting  of  com- 
missions in  the  Volunteers  of  the  Commonwealth  to  the 
professorial  staff  of  the  Institute,  according  to  the 
grade  fixed  by  the  Board  of  Visitors.  The  Principal 
Professor  now  became  Superintendent,  with  rank  of 
colonel;  the  only  other  professor,  John  T.  L.  Preston, 
who  had  so  earnestly  advocated  the  establishment  of  the 
School,  was  dignified  with  the  title  of  Major. 

The  need  of  an  additional  professor  now  became  a 
pressing  one,  and  the  name  of  Thomas  Hoomes 
Wilhamson,  Esq.,  of  Norfolk,  was  suggested  to  the 
Board  by  the  Superintendent.  Mr.  Williamson  was  a 
former  classmate  of  Colonel  Smith's  at  the  Academy, 
but  failed  in  Languages  his  third  year.  He  was  a  good 
soldier,  however,  and  well  equipped  by  training  to  teach 
Tactics  and  Drawing.  Accordingly,  July  19,  1841,  he 
was  appointed  Professor  of  Tactics  and  Drawing,  and 


50  The  Military  History  of 

assigned  to  duty  as  Commandant  of  Cadets,  with  rank 
of  captain,  being  the  second  Commandant  of  the 
Institute. 

In  Wilham  H.  Richardson,  the  new  Adjutant-Gen- 
eral, the  Institute  found  a  warm  friend  and  ardent  sup- 
porter. From  1841  to  186.5,  and  from  1866  to  1876,  he 
was  Adjutant-General  of  Virginia,  and,  as  an  eaj-officio 
member  of  the  Board,  his  services  were  conspicuously 
valuable  to  the  School.  In  every  way  possible  he 
furthered  its  interests;  and  his  dying  request  was  that 
no  monument  but  a  simple  stone  be  placed  over  his 
grave  with  the  inscription: 

"Placed  here  by  the  Graduates  of  the  Virginia  Mili- 
tary Institute." 

Since  this  request  was  made  it  has  been  fulfilled,  for 
in  1875  the  Rev.  Charles  D.  Walker,  V.  M.  I.,  '69, 
inscribed  in  his  memorial  volume  containing  the  bio- 
graphical sketches  of  the  graduates  and  eleves  of  the 
Institute  who  fell  in  the  War  between  the  States  the 
following  words:  "To  General  William  H.  Richard- 
son, Adjutant-General  of  the  State  of  Virginia,  and 
the  life-long  friend  of  the  V.  M.  I.,  this  record  of 
those  of  his  boys  who  died  for  the  cause  is  affectionately 
dedicated."  The  record  of  those  valiant  youths  is 
indeed  a  noble  memorial. 

As  evidence  of  his  faith  in  the  School,  he  entered  his 
son  as  a  cadet  in  the  fall  of  1840,  and  William  H.  Rich- 
ardson, Jr.,  became  an  Assistant  Professor  and  the  first 
Adjutant  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  after 
graduating  with  the  Class  of  1844.* 

It  was  through  the  influence  of  General  Richardson 
that  the  Corps  of  Cadets  was  ordered  to  Richmond  in 
Januaiy,  1842,  to  be  examined  and  inspected  by  the 

♦William  H.  Richardson  was  born  in  Richmond  City  on  Dec.  18,  1795,  the 
son  of  Major  George  Richardson,  a  Revolutionary  officer.  He  served  in  the 
War  of  1812  as  lieutenant  in  Captain  Edmund  Taylor's  rifle  regiment  with 
commission  dated  on  May  31,  1813.  He  became  captain  of  the  company  m  1815. 
In  1821  he  was  appointed  clerk  of  the  Executive  Council,  which  office  he  held 
until  the  Council  was  abolished  in  1852  by  the  new  constitution.  Richardson 
then  became  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  for  about  a  year.  After  the 
resignation  of  Adjutant-General  Bernard  Peyton  he  was  appointed  to  the  office 
and  remained  in  it  until  his  death  on  September  1,  1876.  In  addition  to  his 
clerical  and  military  services  he  organized  the  Agricultural  and  Horticultural 
Society  of  Virginia  in  1844.  and  was  its  president  for  several  years. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  51 

General  Assembly.  As  a  friend  and  admirer  of  the 
Institute,  he  believed  a  more  intimate  knowledge  of  the 
work  of  the  School,  on  the  part  of  the  members  of  the 
Assembly,  would  produce  the  most  favorable  results; 
and  in  this  he  was  not  mistaken. 

The  appearance  of  the  Corps  in  Richmond  created  a 
profound  impression  in  the  minds  of  the  people  of  the 
State.  The  great  body  of  legislators  had  followed  the 
proceedings  of  the  more  enthusiastic  adherents  of  the 
Military  Institute  in  a  listless  way,  voting  for  the 
various  measures  proposed  in  connection  with  its 
organization,  not  because  of  any  especial  interest  in  the 
undertaking,  but  because  they  had  no  sufficient  reasons 
to  oppose  the  importunities  of  the  few  enthusiasts. 
The  people  of  the  State  at  large  knew  little  of  the 
School,  and  few,  even  in  Richmond,  conceived  the  real 
character  of  the  infant  institution.  And,  so,  when  the 
superb  bodj^  of  60  cadets  paraded  the  streets  of  the 
capital  city,  the  popular  imagination  was  aroused  and 
great  crowds  followed  the  splendidly-drilled  Corps, 
from  place  to  place. 

The  cadets  were  examined  before  the  House  of  Dele- 
gates in  the  various  subjects  of  their  curriculum  by 
three  Cadet  Instructors  who  not  only  demonstrated  the 
proficiency  of  the  academic  instruction  of  the  entire 
Corps,  but  their  own  high  efficiency  as  trained  teachers. 
The  Legislature  was  immensely  pleased  and  a  public 
collation  was  tendered  the  cadets  by  the  people  of  Rich- 
mond. On  this  occasion,  a  stand  of  colors  was  pre- 
sented the  little  Battalion  by  the  veteran  soldier.  Gen. 
William  Ligon, — a  beautiful  flag  bearing  the  inscrip- 
tion, "Virginia  Military  Institute."  ^Vlien,  during  the 
ceremony  of  presentation,  the  "Flag  of  the  V.  M.  I." 
was  toasted,  the  Color-Sergeant,  Cadet  WiUiam  S. 
Beale,*  sprang  upon  a  table,  and,  as  he  grasped  the 
colors  with  his  right  hand,  responded: 

"Let  him  bear  it  who  is  able  to  defend  it." 


♦This  noble  voung  man,  a  nephew  of  General  William  Steenliergen,  a  short 
while  after  his  graduation,  was  drowned  in  the  Ohio  River  in  a  heroic  effort 
to  save  the  life  of  a  negro  boatman,  after  he  had  rescued  from  drowning  his 
cousin    to    whom    he    was    engaged    to    be    married. 


52  The  Military  History  of 

Such  was  the  spirit  in  which  the  V.  M.  I.  cadet  first 
received  the  colors  he  was  to  bear,  and  such  has  been 
that  which  for  more  than  three  quarters  of  a  century 
has  been  inculcated  in  a  host  of  American  youths.  With 
their  flag  they  have  been  taught  to  associate  the  ideals 
of  their  race;  and  so,  their  flag  is  not  only  their  colors, 
but  the  standard  of  their  virtue. 

The  fruits  of  General  Richardson's  scheme  were  now 
to  be  gathered,  for  the  pride  of  the  General  Assembly, 
and  of  the  people,  had  been  touched  by  their  young 
soldiers.  Accordingly,  by  Act  of  March  8,  1842,  the 
General  Assembly  increased  the  annuity  of  the  Insti- 
tute by  $1,500,  requiring  in  return  that  all  State  Cadet 
graduates  should  discharge  their  obligation  to  the  Com- 
monwealth b}^  teaching  in  some  school  in  the  State  foj* 
a  period  of  two  years  after  graduation,  on  such  pay  as 
they  might  be  able  to  contract  for.  Thus,  the  Institute 
became,  not  only  the  second  governmental  military 
school  in  America,  but  the  first  Normal  School  in  Vir- 
ginia ;*  and  to  the  subsequent  labors  of  its  graduates  was 
undoubtedly  due  the  fact  that  between  1845  and  1860 
the  number  of  College  students  in  Virginia  increased 
from  500  to  2,500,  "giving  Virginia  the  proud  pre- 
eminence of  having  a  larger  number  of  young  men  at- 
tending colleges,  in  proportion  to  white  population, 
than  any  other  State  in  the  Union." 

The  first  class  to  enter  the  Institute  was  graduated 
July  4,  1842.  The  high  character  of  their  education  is 
well  attested  by  the  careers  of  the  sixteen  cadets  who  re- 
ceived diplomas  on  that  day.  Let  us  enumerate  them 
in  order  of  their  graduation. 

1.  William  D.  Fair,  Virginia,  Lawyer;  member  of  first  Senate 
of  California;   died  December  27,  1861. 

2.  William  H.  Henderson^  Virginia,  Lawyer;    died  1860. 

3.  John  B.  Strange,  Virginia,  Principal  Norfolk  Academy; 
Colonel  19th  Virginia  Infantry,  C.  S.  A.;    killed  in  battle. 

4.  T.  J.  B.  Cramer,  Virginia,  Teacher ;  elected  Treasurer  of 
Kansas ;  one  of  incorporators  of  City  of  Denver,  which  he  helped 
to  lay  out. 

*The  University  of  Virginia  was  impressed  witli  a  similar  cliaracter  bv 
Act  of  March  12,  1856. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  53 

5.  Edmund  Pendleton,  Virginia,  Lawyer;  Colonel  Louisiana 
Infantry,  wounded;  member  Virginia  Senate;  member  Board  of 
Visitors  V.  M.  I. 

6.  J.  H.  Lawrence,  Virginia,  Dentist;  Adjutant  Ga.  Infantry. 

7.  W.  M.  Elliott,  Virginia,  Lt.-Col.  C.  S.  A.;  Editor  Rich- 
mond Whig;  member  Virginia  House  of  Delegates  and  State 
Senate;  member  Board  of  Visitors  V.  M.  L;  Rector  University  of 
Virginia. 

8.  J.  H.  Jameson,  Virginia,  Lawyer;  Captain  Virginia 
Infantry,  C.  S.  A. ;    died  of  wounds. 

9.  C.  P.  Deyerle,  Virginia,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.  S.  Army; 
and  served  in  the  Mexican  War;    died  1853,  in  the  line  of  duty. 

10.  John  T.  Smith,  Virginia,  Farmer;    Officer  C.  S.  A. 

11.  William  A.  Forbes,  Virginia;  President  Clarksville  Col- 
lege, Tenn. ;  Colonel  14th  Tenn.  Infantry;  killed  Second  Manassas. 

12.  V.  C.  Saunders,  Virginia;  Principal  Baton  Rouge  Military 
Institute,  and  noted  scholar. 

13.  J.  W.  Bell,  Virginia,  Farmer;    Captain  C.  S.  A. 

14.  O.  M.  Knight,*  Virginia,  Physician  and  Planter;  Captain 
Virginia  Cavalry,  C.  S.  A. 

15.  James  Marshall,  Virginia,  Farmer;  Captain  Virginia 
Cavalry,  C.  S.  A. 

16.  Louis  A.  Garnett,  Virginia,  Lawj^er  in  California;  President 
Assaying  and  Refining  Co.;    leading  currency  expert  in  U.  S. 

In  the  life  work  of  these  men  was  reflected  the  genius 
of  Crozet,  of  Smith,  and  of  the  School  they  had 
fomided.  The  influence  of  the  Institute  as  a  School  of 
Arms  and  the  character  of  its  training  as  such  in  the 
first  three  years  of  its  existence,  could  not  be  more 
strikingly  demonstrated  than  by  the  foregoing  enum- 
eration. In  1861,  the  majority  of  the  members  of  the 
Class  of  1842  were  over  forty  years  of  age.  Two  had 
died — one  in  the  old  army,  and  three  had  removed  to 
the  far  West — of  the  remaining  eleven  members  ten 
entered  the  military  service  of  the  Confederacj^  and 
three  were  killed  in  battle ! 

When  the  Institute  was  established  the  Legislature 
provided  for  an  arrangement  between  it  and  Washing- 
ton College  whereby  the  students  of  the  latter  might 
receive  military  instruction,  in  order  that  the  College 
might  avail  itself  of  an  endowment  of  the  Virginia 

♦still   living    (1914). 


54  The  Military  History  of 

Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  in  the  sum  of  $15,000.  This 
endowment  was  dependent  on  the  estabhshment  by  the 
College  of  a  chair  of  Military  Science  and  Gunnery. 
As  soon,  therefore,  as  the  Institute  was  put  in  opera- 
tion, Major  Smith  was  appointed  Cincinnati  Professor 
of  JMilitary  Science  in  the  College,  and  a  squad  of  stu- 
dents was  formed  as  the  "Cincinnati  Class,"  and 
regularly  drilled  with  the  cadets,  wearing  practically 
the  same  uniform  as  the  latter.  In  return  for  the  ser- 
vice thus  rendered  by  the  Institute,  cadets  were  privi- 
leged to  pursue  the  course  of  Chemistry  at  the 
College.  The  arrangement  was  not  an  advantageous 
one  to  the  Institute  for  many  reasons,  among  others 
that  the  College  students  were  not  subject  to  discipline. 
Their  disorders  frequently  brought  discredit  upon  the 
Institute,  for  they  were  not  distinguishable  from  cadets 
by  reason  of  the  similarity  of  uniforms.  Fortunately, 
the  relationship  was  terminated  by  the  College,  Febru- 
ary 22,  1845;  but  Washington  College,  now  Washing- 
ton and  Lee  University,  continues  to  receive  the  bene- 
faction of  the  great  patriotic  society;  and  the 
remarkable  anomaly  exists  of  one  institution  in  Lexing- 
ton obtaining  an  annuity  for  instruction  it  does  not  give, 
while  the  Military  School  of  the  State  with  its  highly 
developed  course  of  military  science  and  practical  in- 
struction, situated  in  the  same  town,  receives  nothing 
from  the  Cincinnati  endowment.* 

Upon  the  severance  of  the  relations  of  the  two  Insti- 
tutions of  learning  in  Lexington,  it  became  necessary 
to  place  instruction  in  the  Physical  Sciences  at  the 
Institute  upon  a  higher  plane ,  and  an  addition  of 
$7,000.00  to  the  annuity  by  the  Legislature  enabled  the 
Board  to  create  a  new  and  distinct  department  in 
1846. 

To  fill  the  chair  thus  created  was  a  difficult  matter, 
for  it  was  comtemplated  that  the  new  professor  should 
also  perform  the  duties  of  Commandant  of  Cadets  and 

*At  its  annual  meeting  in  September,  1913,  the  Virginia  Society  of  the 
Cincinnati  voted  an  annual  allowance  to  the  Institute  as  a  scholarship  aggre- 
gating several  hundred  dollars  and  also  a  gold  medal  for  the  cadet  of  highest 
general   merit. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  55 

Instructor  of  Tactics,  relieving  the  overburdened 
Captain  Williamson  of  his  mihtary  duties.  The  new 
professor  must,  therefore,  be  a  soldier  and  the  greater 
his  experience  as  such,  the  better. 

In  the  selection  of  the  new  professor  and  com- 
mandant, the  West  Point  influence  again  made  itself 
felt. 

Proud  of  the  Institute,  Colonel  Smith  had  frequently 
invited  his  distinguished  friends  at  the  United  States 
Military  Academy  to  visit  him  in  Lexington,  and  wit- 
ness the  results  of  his  work.  Among  others  who  at- 
tended the  graduating  exercises  and  examinations  were 
Professors  Bartlett,  Church,  and  Mahan  of  West 
Point.  And,  so,  when  the  Superintendent  made  known 
his  wants  to  these  illustrious  teachers,  it  was  natural 
that  Professor  Bartlett  should  recommend  the  appoint- 
ment of  his  brilliant  and  talented  young  assistant  in 
the  department  of  Natural  Philosophy  at  the  Academy, 
William  GiDiam. 

William  Gilham  was  born  in  Indiana  and  was  ap- 
pointed a  cadet  at  West  Point  July  1,  1836,  graduating 
with  distinction  with  the  Class  of  1840.  Assigned  to 
the  Third  Artillery  with  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant, 
he  received  his  promotion  October  23,  1841,  and  as  a 
first  lieutenant  participated  under  General  Zachary 
Taylor  in  the  Mexican  War.  In  the  battles  of  Palo 
Alto  and  Resaca  he  was  distinguished  for  gallantr5^ 
Before  the  declaration  of  peace,  the  young  officer  was 
ordered  back  to  the  Academy,  as  assistant  to  Professor 
Bartlett,  and  had  served  as  such  with  notable  success, 
when  he  was  tendered  the  appointment  as  Commandant 
of  Cadets,  Instructor  of  Tactics,  and  Professor  of 
Natural  and  Experimental  Philosophy  and  Chemistry, 
with  rank  of  major. 

Lieutenant  Gilliam  at  once  accepted  the  appoint- 
ment tendered  him,  and  resigned  his  commission  in  the 
army,  October  17,  1846.  "Quick,  accurate,  and  self- 
possessed,  he  had  a  magnetic  jDower  of  command  which 
made  the  drill  of  the  Corps  the  equal,  if  not  the  superior, 
of  that  at  West  Point.     In  command  of  the  Battalion 


56  The  Military  History  of 

of  Cadets,  JNIajor  Gilliam  had  no  superior."  Such  was 
the  estimate  of  the  Superintendent. 

In  addition  to  his  military  service  at  the  Institute, 
Major  Gilham  organized  and  conducted  the  first  course 
in  Scientific  Agriculture  and  Industrial  Chemistry  in 
the  South.  But  to  his  greatest  work  we  shall  refer 
later. 

Another  distinguished  soldier  was  now  associated 
with  the  Institute  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Visitors 
in  the  person  of  Philip  St.  George  Cocke,  who  was 
graduated  from  West  Point  in  1832,  but  resigned  his 
commission  as  Second  Lieutenant,  Second  Artillery, 
April  1,  1834.  He  was  a  man  of  unusual  wealth  and 
of  great  social  and  political  influence,  and  hence,  was  a 
distinct  acquisition  to  the  Institute  when  appointed  to 
the  Board  of  Visitors  in  1846.* 

Other  recent  appointments  of  military  note  to  the 
Board  were  those  of  Captain  Charles  Dimmock,  U.  S. 
M.  A.,  1821,  who  resigned  his  commission  as  a  captain 
in  the  First  Artillery,  September  30,  1836,**  and  Gen- 
eral Carter  Braxton.  Thus  we  see  that  as  time  went  by 
the  necessity  of  maintaining  a  preponderant  military 
influence  in  the  Board  was  not  lost  sight  of.  With 
Crozet,  Cocke,  and  Dimmock,  on  the  Board,  and  Smith, 
Williamson,  and  Gilham  in  the  faculty,  all  from  West 
Point,  the  influence  which  the  national  Academy  bore 
in  the  affairs  of  the  Institute  can  hardly  be  ex- 
aggerated. When  we  consider,  with  these,  the  other 
soldiers  on  the  Board,  a  highly  military  character  in  the 
governing  bod}^  seems  to  have  been  jealously  preserved 
as  its  essential  feature. 

The  continued  enlargement  of  the  Corps,  and  the 
splendid  work  of  the  Institute,  led  to  the  appropriation 
by  the  General  Assembly,  March  8,  1850,  of  $46,000, 
for  the  erection  of  a  suitable  barracks.  For  this  ma- 
terial recognition  of  the  Institute,  its  thanks  were 
largety  due  General  Richardson  and  Cocke,  who  were 

*Appoiiited  Brigadier-General   C.    S.   A.,   October   21,   1861. 

**Captain  Dimmocli  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  but  was  appointed  Colonel 
C.  S.  A.  and  Chief  of  Ordnance  of  Virginia,  in  1861,  a  position  for  which 
George  H.  Thomas,  later  Major-General,  U.   S.   Army,   applied  in  January,   1861, 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  57 

equally  enthusiastic  with  Colonel  Crozet  in  their  support 
of  the  School.  Up  to  this  time,  said  Cocke,  "his  negroes 
were  better  quartered  than  the  cadets." 

To  further  the  interest  of  the  School  by  again  attract- 
ing the  attention  of  the  Legislature,  and  by  appealing  to 
its  pride  in  the  School,  thus  insuring  the  passage  of  the 
Act  appropriating  the  needed  funds,  General  Richard- 
son had  again  caused  the  Corps  in  February  to  be 
ordered  to  Richmond  to  attend  the  ceremonies  con- 
nected with  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the  Wash- 
ington monument.  He  well  knew  that  nothing  would 
so  appeal  to  the  people  of  the  State,  and  especially  to 
the  legislators,  as  the  visible  results  being  produced  at 
Lexington. 

The  Corps  now  had  a  battalion  organization  of  two 
companies,  and,  under  Major  Gilham's  efficient  com- 
mand, had  attained  a  remarkable  degree  of  military 
proficiency.  Its  drill  was  superb ;  its  equipment  modern 
and  complete  in  every  respect;  and  the  personnel  of  its 
officers  and  cadets  was  of  the  highest  social  order.  Num- 
bered among  its  one  hundred  cadets  were  the  scions  of 
many  of  Virginia's  most  distinguished  families,  and  the 
prominent  positions  in  the  affairs  of  the  State  which 
its  graduates, — numbering  over  one  hundred  at  this 
time, — had  assimied,  added  lustre  and  influence  to  the 
Institute.  Well  might  its  unparalleled  rise  in  popu- 
larity throughout  the  State  arouse  the  jealous  attention 
of  its  sister  institutions.  And  this  is  exactly  what  hap- 
pened ;  for  already  its  progress  was  beset  with  the  open 
hostility  of  the  friends  of  Washington  College,  hostility 
which  in  its  unreasonableness  only  attracted  a  higher 
regard  to  the  object  of  its  unjust  attacks. 

General  Zachary  Taylor,  then  President  of  the 
United  States,  was  invited  to  attend  the  ceremonies  in 
Richmond  on  February  22,  1850,  the  one  hundred  and 
eighteenth  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  Washington. 
He  accepted  the  invitation,  and,  at  once.  Governor 
John  B.  Floyd  of  Virginia,  former  Secretary  of  War 
of   the   United    States,    and   only   recently   become   a 


58  The  Military  History  of 

member  of  the  Board  of  Visitors  of  the  Institute, 
tendered  the  services  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets  as  his  body- 
guard, an  offer  which  the  President  accepted  with 
pleasure. 

The  work  of  designing  and  casting  the  bronze  figures 
of  the  Washington  Monument  had  been  assigned  to  the 
great  American  Sculptor,  Thomas  Crawford,  and  his 
models  had  been  favorably  received.  The  corner-stone 
of  what  has  been  styled  the  finest  monument  of  its  kind 
in  America,  the  total  cost  of  which  was  $260,000,  was 
laid  with  imposing  ceremonies,  and  most  of  the  military 
organizations  of  the  State,  as  well  as  troops  from  else- 
where, participated  therein.  But  none  of  these  com- 
pared with  the  Cadet  Corps,  which  won  the  unstinted 
plaudits  of  the  assembled  populace,  and  the  highest 
praise  from  the  dignitaries  and  military  men  of  the 
State  and  nation  who  were  present  on  the  interesting 
occasion. 

The  Alumni  were  overjoyed  at  the  way  the  Corps 
was  received,  and,  to  express  their  own  pride,  presented 
through  James  B.  Dorman,  Esq.,  a  member  of  the 
House  of  Delegates,  and  a  private  of  the  Class  of  1843, 
the  second  stand  of  Battalion  colors.  Cadet  Charles 
Denby,  who  was  graduated  with  the  Class  of  1850,  and 
who  became  Minister  to  China  in  1885,  received  the 
flag  for  the  Corps,  that  function  being  his  prerogative 
as  senior  cadet-officer.* 

For  many  years  the  Corps  of  Cadets  bore  these  colors. 
In  the  battle  of  New  Market  they  created  much  con- 
fusion in  the  minds  of  the  Federals,  who  were  un- 
familiar with  the  white  flag.  Indeed,  it  has  been  re- 
corded by  one  Federal  officer  that  the  perfectly  drilled 
Battalion  of  Cadets,  bearing  a  strange  white  flag,  and 
maneuvering  with  unusual  precision,  led  many  of  his 
comrades  at  first  to  believe  the  Corps  was  some  foreign 
command. 

An  especial  effort  has  been  made  by  the  author  to 
secure    a   detailed    description    of    these    colors    which 

*Denby  became  a  colonel  in  the  Federal  Army  during  the  war,  served  with 
distinction,   and   sent   his   son   to   the   Institute.      The   latter   graduated    in    1899. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  59 

would  prove  generally  acceptable  to  those  who  followed 
them,  but  it  is  difficult  to  obtain  universal  agreement. 
Unfortunately  the  original  flag  was  removed  from  its 
staff  while  the  cadets  were  evacuating  Lexington  in 
June,  1864,  and  after  being  much  torn  hj  cadets  wish- 
ing to  preserve  a  relic  of  their  battle  flag,  was  hidden 
in  a  hedge  in  the  yard  of  the  house  formerly  occupied 
by  "Stonewall"  Jackson  on  the  campus  of  Washington 
College.  Upon  the  return  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets  to 
the  Institute  after  Hunter's  raid,  no  trace  of  the 
tattered  flag  remained.  The  only  piece  of  it  known  to 
exist  was  presented  to  the  Institute  in  June,  1914,  by 
a  grandson  of  General  Francis  H.  Smith,  and  is  now 
jealously  guarded  in  the  library  museum. 

The  best  description  of  the  flag  I  have  been  able 
to  obtain  is  that  of  Captain  B.  A.  Colonna.  "The 
staff  was  about  9  or  10  feet  long,  made  of  fine-grained 
ash  and  surmounted  by  a  brass  eagle.  The  flag  was 
made  of  white  corded  silk,  and  had  a  gold  fringe  on 
the  outer  end  and  top  and  bottom.  The  right  field  was 
emblazoned  with  the  State  coat  of  arms  of  the  usual 
size,  and  below  it,  appeared  the  motto — Sic  Semper 
Tyrannis.  The  left  field  was  emblazoned  with  the  head 
of  General  Washington  above  a  U.  S.  shield,  behind 
which  were  crossed  two  U.  S.  flags  at  a  fairly  flat 
angle.  Below  the  flags,  were  crossed  cannon,  muskets, 
etc.,  and  under  them  appeared  cannon  balls.  The  shield 
was  surmounted  by  an  eagle  clutching  arrows  in  one 
claw,  and  an  olive  branch  in  the  other." 

Captain  Colonna  omits  all  reference  to  the  name — 
Virginia  Military  Institute— which  many  old  cadets 
claim  appeared  below  the  head  of  Washington. 

In  1909,  at  the  inauguration  of  President  Taft  in 
Washington,  the  New  York  Alumni  Chapter  presented 
to  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  through  Major-General  J. 
Franklin  Bell,  Chief  of  Staff,  U.  S.  Army,  a  stand 
of  colors  purporting  to  be  a  replica  of  the  old  cadet 
colors,  but  the  designer  of  the  new  flag,  John  S.  Wise, 
father  of  the  author,  repeatedly  stated  that  he  was  un- 


60  The  Military  History  of 

able  to  recall  in  detail  the  original  except  that  it  was 
white  and  displayed  the  head  of  Washington.  The  new 
flag  was  not  really  intended  by  him  to  be  a  replica,  but 
was  designed  for  the  principal  purpose  of  preserving 
the  characteristic  features  of  the  old  one,  which  were 
the  white  field  and  the  head  of  Washington — emblem- 
atic in  themselves  and  appropriate  as  a  souvenir  of 
the  occasion,  on  which  the  colors  were  first  presented 
to  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  or  the  anniversary  of  the  birth 
of  the  great  and  pure  "Father  of  His  Country." 

The  people  of  Richmond  generally,  as  well  as  the 
Alumni  and  patrons  of  the  Institute,  extended  every 
hospitality  to  the  Cadets,  while  in  Riclmiond,  in  Febru- 
ary, 1850.  Not  only  was  the  Corps  toasted  and  enter- 
tained as  a  military  organization,  but  invitations  of  all 
kinds  were  showered  upon  the  officers  and  cadets  indi- 
vidually, and  the  authorities  were  importuned  to  order 
the  Corps  to  Norfolk  and  Petersburg,  as  the  guest  of 
those  cities.  So  pressing  were  these  invitations  that 
the  Superintendent  and  the  Board  of  Visitors  consented 
without  reluctance  to  their  acceptance,  upon  being  per- 
suaded by  the  Adjutant-General,  and  Mr.  Cocke,  now 
President  of  the  Board,  of  the  value  of  the  proposed  ex- 
cursion as  an  advertisement. 

In  both  Norfolk  and  Petersburg  the  Corps  received 
the  most  gratifying  ovations,  and  by  reason  of  the 
soldierly  conduct  of  the  cadets,  the  popularity  of  the 
Institute  was  greatly  enhanced.  Such  was  the  wise 
means  adopted  by  the  Board  to  insure  the  successful 
issue  of  the  pending  appropriations,  which  followed  al- 
most instantly. 

Not  alone  were  the  people  of  Virginia  well  pleased 
with  the  Corps.  President  Taylor  was  so  delighted  with 
Major  Gilliam's  conmiand,  which  had  served  as  his  es- 
cort of  honor,  that  in  token  of  his  gratitude  to  the  Insti- 
tute, and  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  held  the  Corps, 
he  ordered  the  United  States  Ordnance  Department  to 
turn  out  a  six-piece  battery  of  field  artillery  complete, 
with  four  6-pounder  guns  and  two  12-pounder  howitzers. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  61 

The  pieces  he  directed  to  be  cast  200  pounds  hghter  than 
those  regularly  employed,  each  bearing  on  the  chase 
the  coat  of  arms  of  Virginia. 

The  battery  was  soon  completed  and  delivered  in 
Lexington,  and  the  Board  of  Visitors  at  once  began  to 
seriouslj^  consider  the  matter  of  instruction  in  Gunnery 
and  practical  artillery  drill,  which  President  Taylor's 
superb  gift  was  designed  to  bring  about. 

This  of  course  delighted  the  Superintendent  and  the 
Commandant,  both  of  whom  had  served  in  the  Field 
Artillery;  and  Philip  St.  George  Cocke,  a  former 
artilleryman  himself,  was  no  mean  supporter  of  the 
plan  to  enlarge  the  scope  of  military  instruction.  Gen- 
eral Richardson,  as  usual,  stood  by  the  guns;  and,  ar- 
rayed with  those  in  favor  of  the  plan,  were  General 
Corbin  Braxton,  General  Peter  H.  Steenbergen,  Gen- 
eral E.  P.  Scott,  and  General  Douglas  B.  Layne,  all 
recent  appointees  to  the  Board  of  Visitors.  Even  had 
they  opposed  the  measure,  the  five  civilian  members — 
Chas.  J.  Faulkner,  William  W.  Crump,  Harvey 
George,  John  S.  Carlisle,  Esquires,  and  Dr.  C.  E. 
Robinson — would  have  been  overruled  bv  the  military 
sentiment  of  the  Board.* 

As  a  School  of  Arms  the  Virginia  Military  Institute 
has  been  fortunate  in  that  from  the  days  of  its  infancy, 
it  has  been  able  to  cherish  with  pride  traditions  at- 
taching to  the  names  of  its  eleves.  Noble  traditions 
make  gallant  soldiers.  Unfortunate  indeed  is  the  race, 
the  state,  or  the  military  organization  without  the  in- 
spiration of  tradition.  The  founders  of  Virginia's 
School  of  Arms  had  but  a  brief  time  to  wait  ere  they 
could  point  to  the  achievements  of  its  sons,  upon  the 
red  fields  of  war  in  the  service  of  their  country,  for 
among  those  who  rushed  to  arms  in  May,  1846,  were 
twenty-five  eleves  of  the  Institute.  Of  this  number 
nine   served  in  the  regular  army  and  sixteen   in  the 

♦Between  1845  and  1850  General  Carter  Braxton,  Col.  John  Jordan,  and 
John  B.  Floyd,  were,  besides  those  mentioned,  notable  appointees  to  the  Board 
of  Visitors.  Colonel  Crozet  had  relinquished  his  office  in  1844.  upon  removing 
to  Louisiana,  and  Generals  Botts,  Johnston.  Ligon,  Dorman,  and  Captain 
Dimmock,  had  been  superseded. 


62  The  Military  History  of 

Volunteers.     The  following  is  the  roll  of  those  who 
fought  in  the  Mexican  War: 

1.  Brevet    Major    Arthur    Campbell    Cummings,    11th    U.    S. 
Infantry,  wounded  at  Paso  Orejas. 

2.  Brevet  Captain  Daniel  Smith  Lee,  11th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

3.  Brevet    Captain     Hamilton    LeRoy    Shields,    3rd    U.     S. 

Artillery. 

4.  First  Lieutenant  Birkett  Davenport  Fry,  U.  S.  Voltigeurs. 

5.  Second   Lieutenant    Richard    Carlton    Radford,    1st    U.    S. 

Dragoons. 

6.  Second  Lieutenant  Andrew  Jackson,  3d  U.  S.  Infantry. 

7.  Second  Lieutenant  Isaac  Williams  Smith,  U.  S.  Voltigeurs. 

8.  Second     Lieutenant     James      Edwin     Slaughter,     U.      S. 

Voltigeurs. 

9.  Surgeon  Charles  Peter  Deyerle. 

10.  Captain  Edward  Codrington  Carrington,  1st  Va.  Reg. 

11.  First    Lieutenant    George    Alexander    Porterfield,    1st    Va. 

Reg. 

12.  First  Lieutenant  William  Arthur  Scott,  1st  Va.  Reg. 

13.  First  Lieutenant  James  Lawrenson  Bryant,  1st  Va.  Reg. 

14.  First  Lieutenant  Thomas  Stuart  Garnett,  1st  Va.  Reg. 

15.  Second  Lieutenant  Carlton  Radford  Munford,  1st  Va.  Reg.; 
died  in  service. 

16.  Second  Lieutenant  Robert  Henry  Keeling,  1st  Va.  Reg. 

17.  Second  Lieutenant  Harry  Watson  Williamson,  1st  Va.  Reg. 

18.  Second  Lieutenant  Beverley  T.  Hunter,  Louisiana  Volti- 
geurs. 

19.  Second  Lieutenant  Alexander  Cassius  I>ayne,  1st  Va.  Reg. 

20.  Sergeant  Major  James  Baldwin  Dorman,  Texas  Rangers. 

21.  Corporal  Benjamin  Franklin  Ficklin,  U.  S.  Army. 

22.  Private  Anthony  Webster  Southall,  1st  Va.  Reg.;  died  of 
results  of  service. 

23.  Private  Charles  Everett  Carter,  Palmetto  Regiment,  S.  C; 
died  in  service. 

24.  Private  Reuben  G.  Ross,  1st  Va.  Reg. 

25.  Private  Alexander  McNutt  McCorkle,  U.  S.  Army;    died  in 

service. 

Considering  the  fact  that  the  School  had  been  in  ex- 
istence but  little  over  six  years,  and  had  graduated  but 
four  classes  when  the  war  with  Mexico  broke  out,  the 
record  it  established  in  that  war  was  indeed  one  to  be 
proud  of.  It  indicated  clearly  at  the  time  what  the 
country  might  expect  in  future  years. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  63 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE   COINIING  OF  JACKSON 

The  successful  visits  of  the  Corps  to  the  three  largest 
cities  of  the  State  added  greatly  to  the  prestige  of  the 
Institute,  and  its  numbers  might  have  been  greatly  in- 
creased had  suitable  quarters  been  available.  But  work 
on  the  new  barracks  had  already  begun,  and  the  phy- 
sical development  of  the  School  was  being  pushed  with 
energy,  in  order  that  the  increasing  number  of  appli- 
cants might  be  accepted.  More  than  ever  was  the  mih- 
tary  character  of  the  School  appreciated,  and  the  efforts 
of  the  governing  authorities  directed  to  the  perfection 
of  its  military  instruction. 

In  1850,  sectional  war  was  by  no  means  seriously  con- 
templated by  the  people  of  America  at  large.  States- 
men and  students  of  politics  may  have  foreseen  the 
inevitable  struggle;  but  men  in  the  ordinary  walks  of 
life,  while  bitterly  hostile  in  their  feelings  to  what  they 
deemed  aggressions  on  the  part  of  the  North,  thought 
little  of  the  impending  conflict.  It  is  a  notable  fact, 
therefore,  that  Judge  John  W.  Brockenbrough,  in  liis 
speech  on  July  4,  1850,  upon  which  day  the  corner- 
stone of  the  new  barracks  was  laid,  eleven  years  before 
Virginia  seceded,  pointed  out  the  dark  cloud  which  low- 
ered in  the  North;  and  it  was  a  no  less  singular  coin- 
cidence that  the  foundation  of  that  great  structure, 
destined  to  shelter  so  many  gallant  Confederate  officers, 
should  have  been  laid  imder  the  presage  of  the  con- 
flict in  which  they  were  so  soon  to  be  engaged. 

The  Board  of  Visitors  was  composed  of  that  class  of 
men  who  busied  themselves  with  the  future  of  the 
State.  They  foresaw  the  inevitable;  and,  as  the  Insti- 
tute was  the  School  of  Arms  of  Virginia,  so  was  it  the 
seat  of  military  preparedness.  To  reheve  Major  Gil- 
ham  of  much  of  his  professional  work,  thus  leaving  him 


64  The  Military  History  of 

freer  for  his  military  duties,  and  also  to  provide  an 
instructor  of  Artillery,  the  Board  now  determined  to 
look  about  for  one  possessing  the  requisites  for  the 
position. 

It  was  unanimoush^  agreed  that  the  appointee  should 
be  a  West  Pointer;  and,  in  order  to  seek  the  advice  of 
the  Superintendent  and  the  professors  of  the  Academy, 
Colonel  Smith  repaired  to  West  Point,  and  then  visited 
the  War  Department  in  Washington. 

The  result  of  Colonel  Smith's  investigations  was  that 
many  names  were  suggested  for  his  consideration; 
among  the  more  prominent  being  those  of  George 
Brinton  McClellan,  of  Pennsylvania,  Second  Lieu- 
tenant of  Engineers;  Jesse  Lee  Reno,  of  Virginia, 
Second  Lieutenant  of  Ordnance;  and  William  Starke 
Rosecrans,  of  Ohio,  Second  Lieutenant  of  Engineers. 

These  names  are  significant,  for  it  will  be  observed 
they  were  those  of  officers  of  the  branches  of  the  ser- 
vice characterized  by  the  high  intellectual  qualities  of 
their  officers.  The  authorities  at  West  Point  and  the 
War  Department  well  knew  the  character  of  man  of 
whom  the  Institute  was  in  need;  and  the  fact  that  they 
proposed  the  names  of  McClellan,  Reno  and  Rosecrans, 
is  indicative  of  their  regard  for  the  Institute. 

McClellan  was  at  that  time  only  twenty-five  years  of 
age,  but  he  was  a  graduate  of  the  Academy,  Class  of 
1846,  and,  like  Gilham,  a  veteran  of  the  Mexican  War 
in  which  he  was  brevetted  first  lieutenant  of  Engineers 
for  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  at  Contreras  and 
Churubusco,  and  captain  for  equally  conspicuous  con- 
duct at  Chapultepec.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  had 
been  ordered  back  to  West  Point  in  command  of  the 
Engineer  company  stationed  there,  and  assigned  to 
duty  as  assistant  instructor  of  Practical  Engineering. 
While  at  the  Academy,  he  had  prepared  a  Manual  of 
Bayonet  Exercises,  which  he  adapted  from  the  French, 
and  which  was  immediately  introduced  into  the  system 
of  instruction.  Thus  McClellan,  even  in  1850,  was  a 
marked  man.    The  next  year  he  was  designated  to  sup- 


COLONEL  CLAUDE   CUOZET 
Founder  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  65 

erintend  the  construction  of  Fort  Delaware;  and  in  1852 
he  accompanied  Captain  R.  B.  Marcy  on  the  Red  River 
exploring  expedition.  In  1853  and  1854,  he  was  en- 
gaged in  exploring  a  route  for  the  proposed  Pacific 
Railroad  through  Washington  Territory  and  Oregon; 
and  in  the  spring  of  1855  he  was  appointed  to  a  military 
commission  created  to  visit  Europe  for  the  purpose  of 
studying  the  organization  of  the  Continental  Armies. 
This  commission,  the  other  members  of  which  were 
Major  Richard  Delafield  and  Major  Alfred  Mordecai, 
both  of  the  Engineers,  proceeded  at  once  to  Europe, 
and  soon  repaired  to  the  Crimea  where  they  were  most 
hospitably  received  by  General  Simpson,  commander 
of  the  British  forces,  and  accorded  by  him  every  op- 
portunity to  witness  the  siege  operations  of  Sebastapol. 
McClellan's  report  on  the  arms,  equipments,  and 
organization  of  "the  three  arms"  was,  wrote  a  dis- 
tinguished soldier,  "a  model  of  conciseness  and  accurate 
information,  and  added  to  his  already  brilliant 
reputation." 

As  is  well  known,  McClellan  became,  in  1861,  a  Ma- 
jor-General  of  United  States  Volunteers,  and  after 
McDowell's  disastrous  defeat  at  First  Manassas  in 
July,  was  placed  in  command  of  the  army  defending 
Washington ;  relieved  after  the  failure  of  the  Peninsula 
campaign  of  1862;  recalled  to  his  exalted  command 
after  Pope's  overthrow  at  Second  Manassas;  and  at 
Antietam  shattered  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia, 
compelling  General  Lee  to  forego  the  invasion  of  the 
North  and  return  with  his  army  to  Virginia.  What- 
ever may  have  been  his  defects  and  weaknesses  as  a 
tactical  commander,  he  was,  undoubtedly,  the  ablest 
organizer  the  Federal  Army  produced.  The  fighting 
machine  he  created  out  of  nothing  in  the  summer  and 
fall  of  1861  (or  the  Army  of  the  Potomac)  was  by 
far  the  finest  army  the  Federal  Government  sent  afield, 
and  growing  stronger  and  stronger  under  repeated  dis- 
asters, well  calculated  to  destroy  any  army,  was  destined 
on  many  occasions  to  save  the  Republic,  and  ultimately 


66  The  Military  History  of 

to  vanquish  the  Southern  arms.  It  was  the  briUiant 
genius  of  McClellan  which  made  possible  the  victories  of 
Grant;  and  it  was  McClellan,  himself,  who,  on  at  least 
two  occasions,  denied  the  Confederate  States  of 
America  success.  These  facts  are  mentioned  in  con- 
nection with  our  narrative  because  it  is  a  matter  of  im- 
portant conjecture  what  might  have  been  the  course  of 
history  had  the  young  soldier,  always  partial  to  the 
sentiments  of  the  South,  been  appointed  a  professor  in 
1851  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  and  thereby 
thrown  into  closer  relations  with  the  Southern  people. 
As  it  was,  his  candidacy  for  the  presidenc}^  of  the 
United  States  held  prospects  of  an  adjustment  between 
the  North  and  the  South  favorable  to  the  latter. 

Lieutenant  Reno,  U.  S.  M.  A.  1846,  was  also  bre- 
vetted,  first  as  a  first  lieutenant  for  conspicuous  con- 
duct at  Cerro  Gordo,  and  then  as  captain  for  gallant 
and  meritorious  conduct  at  Chapultepec.  While  his 
reputation  was  not  as  great  as  that  of  McClellan,  he 
was  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  superior  young 
officers  in  the  service.  In  1861  he  became  Brigadier- 
General  of  United  States  Volunteers;  in  1862  Major- 
General;  and  was  killed  at  South  Mountain,  Md.,  soon 
after  this  promotion. 

William  Starke  Rosecrans  was  graduated  from  the 
Academy  in  1842.  He  also  was  a  young  officer  of  the 
highest  character,  and  a  veteran  of  the  Mexican  War. 
Resigning  from  the  army  in  1854,  he  re-entered  the 
service  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  and  rose  to  the  grade 
of  JMajor-General  U.  S.  Volunteers  in  1862.  His  mili- 
tary service  during  the  war  won  for  him  the  thanks  of 
Congress. 

There  were  others  besides  McClellan,  Reno,  and 
Rosecrans,  prominently  mentioned  to  the  Board  of 
Visitors  of  the  Institute;  among  whom  may  be  men- 
tioned Gustavus  W.  Smith,  of  Kentucky,  who  became 
a  major-general,  C.  S.  A.,  in  1861,  and  won  fame  as  a 
soldier  in  the  service  of  the  Confederacy.  The  selection 
of  any  one  of  these  eminently  qualified  men  would  have 


The  Virginia  Militaey  Institute  67 

been  justified  by  their  distinguished  records.  The  im- 
portant professorship  at  the  Institute,  however,  was 
offered  to  none  of  them,  but  finally  to  a  classmate  of 
McClellan  and  Reno;  and  it  came  about  in  this  way. 

In  February,  1849,  First  Lieutenant  and  Brevet 
Major  Daniel  Harvey  Hill,  U.  S.  Artillery,  of  South 
Carolina,  afterwards  the  celebrated  Lieutenant-Gen- 
eral  D.  H.  Hill  of  the  Confederacy,  resigned  his  com- 
mission in  the  army  to  accept  a  chair  at  Washington 
College,  Lexington.  Major  Hill,  twice  brevetted  for 
conspicuous  gallantry  in  the  battles  of  Contreras, 
Churubusco,  and  Chapultepec,  was  a  graduate  of  the 
United  States  Military  Academy,  of  the  Class  of  1842, 
and  was  well  acquainted  with  McClellan,  Reno,  and 
Rosecrans. 

It  so  happened  that  soon  after  Colonel  Smith's  re- 
turn from  his  visit  to  West  Point  and  the  War  De- 
partment, Major  Hill  called  upon  the  Superintendent 
of  the  Institute  and  found  him  much  perplexed  and 
annoyed  in  consequence  of  a  difference  which  had 
recently  arisen  between  himself  and  the  Board  of 
Visitors  over  the  appointment  of  the  new  professor.  In 
Colonel  Smith's  absence  politics  had  entered  into  the 
matter,  and  strong  pressure  was  being  exerted  upon  the 
Board  for  the  appointment  of  Captain  Robert  Emmet 
Rodes,  of  Lynchburg,  a  graduate  of  the  Institute  of 
the  Class  of  1838,  then  serving  as  an  Assistant  Pro- 
fessor at  the  Institute.  Rodes  had  many  influential 
friends,  and  was  a  man  of  exceptional  ability,  as  proven 
by  his  subsequent  career  as  Major-General,  C.  S.  A. 
Colonel  Smith  recognized  his  merit,  but  was  firm  in 
his  determination  to  secure  a  West  Pointer,  and  in  this 
he  was  supported  by  Philip  St.  George  Cocke,  President 
of  the  Board,  himself  a  graduate  of  the  Academy.  \Vest 
Pointers  in  those  days,  as  now,  were  wont  to  consider 
the  Academy  as  the  source  of  all  military  knowledge; 
and  this  evident  spirit  was  resented  by  the  Board  at 
large ;  and  as  a  result  much  ill-feeling  arose  between  the 
two  factions.    Cocke  and  Smith,  however,  carried  their 


68  The  Military  History  or 

point  and  the  chair  was  tendered  Professor  Alexander 
Peter  Stewart,  of  Cumberland  University,  Tennessee. 
Stewart  was  a  Tennesseean,  who  had  graduated  from 
West  Point  in  1842,  served  three  years  in  the  Third 
Artillery,  and  resigned  his  commission  as  second  lieu- 
tenant May  31,  1845.  Well  satisfied  with  his  present 
position,  he  declined  the  offer.  He  subsequently  rose 
to  the  grade  of  lieutenant-general,  C.  S.  A.,  and  was 
among  the  most  celebrated  officers  of  the  Confederacy. 

Again,  the  appointment  of  Rodes  was  being  urged, 
when  Colonel  Smith  introduced  the  subject  in  con- 
versation with  Major  Hill,  and  handed  him  an  Army 
Register,  with  the  request  that  he  suggest  the  name  of 
a  suitable  officer.  As  Major  Hill  glanced  over  the  list 
his  eye,  as  if  by  providence,  fell  upon  the  name  of 
Jackson.  With  this  young  officer  Hill  had  had  an  ac- 
quaintance in  Mexico,  the  circumstances  of  which  are 
interesting. 

When  General  Scott  withdrew  from  General  Taylor 
the  greater  portion  of  the  regular  troops  for  the  invasion 
of  Mexico  by  the  Vera  Cruz  line,  they  were  ordered  to 
Camargo,  where  they  were  embarked  for  Point  Isobel 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  held  there  until 
the  arrival  of  transports  to  convey  them  to  Vera  Cruz. 

A  young  second  lieutenant  of  artillery  who  had  served 
under  General  Taylor,  and  was  waiting  for  his  regi- 
ment on  the  beach  at  Point  Isobel,  strolled  over  to 
see  Captain  Taylor  of  the  Artillery.  While  in  con- 
versation with  Hill,  Captain  Taylor  saw  his  visitor  ap- 
proaching, and  said:  "Here  comes  Lieutenant  Jackson. 
I  want  you  to  know  him.  He  was  constantly  rising  in 
the  class  at  West  Point,  and  if  the  course  had  been  a 
year  longer  he  would  have  graduated  at  the  head  of  his 
class.     He  will  make  his  mark  in  this  war." 

Hill  and  Jackson  were  thereupon  introduced,  and 
soon  strolled  off  together  along  the  beach.  While  ad- 
miring the  grandeur  of  the  ocean,  young  Jackson  said 
to  Hill,  "I  envy  vou  men  who  have  been  in  battle. 
How  I  would  like  to  be  in  one  battle!"  and  then  ex- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  69 

pressed  the  fear  that  the  war  might  terminate  hefore 
his  longing  would  be  gratified.  "Little  did  he  then 
know  how  many  scores  of  battles  he  would  direct,  and 
how  breathlessly  the  two  divided  sections  of  the  nation 
M^ould  watch  his  terrible  movements!" 

The  two  young  officers  parted  to  meet  under  the  walls 
of  Vera  Cruz.  After  a  night  of  toil,  they  sought  shelter 
under  a  sand  bank  to  snatch  a  few  hours'  sleep,  when 
an  enormous  shell  from  the  Castle  of  San  Juan  de  Ulloa 
came  crashing  through  their  shelter,  and  nearly  ended 
their  earthly  careers.  Side  by  side,  they  served  in  the 
pursuit  of  the  Mexicans,  after  the  fall  of  Chapultepec, 
and  their  mutual  friendship,  born  of  admiration  and 
confidence,  was  heightened  by  a  closer  association  after 
the  fall  of  the  City  of  Mexico. 

So  it  was  that  in  1851,  many  years  after  their  service 
together  in  Mexico,  Captain  Taylor's  remark,  "if  the 
course  had  been  one  year  longer,  Jackson  would  have 
graduated  at  the  head  of  his  class,"  was  recalled  by 
Hill,  and  also  the  prophetic  remark,  "He  will  dis- 
tinguish himself  in  this  war." 

Jackson  had  fully  justified  the  expectations  of 
Captain  Taylor,  and  in  order  that  his  career  up. to  1851 
may  be  compared  with  those  of  McClellan,  Reno  and 
Rosecrans,  his  record  is  here  given. 

Born  in  Harrison  County,  Virginia,  of  a  large  and 
influential  family,  the  early  boyhood  of  Jackson,  if  not 
oppressed  by  poverty,  was  a  hard  struggle  by  reason 
of  the  financial  reverses  of  his  father,  who,  as  a  lawyer, 
had  lost  a  large  sum  of  security  money. 

Schools  of  an  ordinary  grade  were  inaccessible  to  one 
of  young  Jackson's  means;  and  such  primary  in- 
struction as  he  received  had  to  be  obtained  in  spite  of 
the  severest  demands  for  his  labor  on  his  father's  farm 
notwithstanding  the  additional  drawback  of  bad  health 
and  a  feeble  physical  constitution. 

"Thus,  were  the  years  of  his  boyhood  and  early  youth 
passed.  We  may  picture  to  ourselves  that  manly  and 
conscientious  and  thoughful,  though  delicate,  boy,  now 


70  The  Military  History  of 

running  the  furrow,  now  planting  the  grain,  now  har- 
vesting the  crop,  or  tending  the  cattle  by  day,  and,  in 
the  intervals  of  labor,  snatching  up  the  grammar,  or 
geography,  or  history,  and  thus  laying  the  foundation 
for  that  education  he  was  soon  to  receive.  These  trials 
and  struggles  of  early  boyhood,  in  thirsting  after  know- 
ledge, present  a  sublime  spectacle,  while  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  the  disciphne  which  Jackson  thus  under- 
went in  his  western  home,  while  laying  in  the  rudiments 
of  a  plain  English  education,  constituted  an  important 
element  in  the  development  of  those  qualities  which 
have  added  such  lustre  to  his  name. 

"In  the  winter  of  1841-42,  he  became  aware  that  a 
vacancy  existed  from  his  district  in  the  United  States 
Military  Academy  at  West  Point.  He  was  at  once 
fired  with  the  desire  to  secure  the  appointment.  He  was 
conscious  of  the  great  number  of  applicants,  and  of  the 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  success.  He  knew  he  was  poorly 
prepared  for  the  severe  and  advanced  studies  of  the 
Academy;  but,  nothing  daunted,  he  resolved  to  make 
the  effort ;  and,  trusting  to  that  providence  whose  guid- 
ance he  ever  acknowledged  and  sought,  he  started  for 
Washington.  His  journey  was  a  difficult  one;  partly 
on  horseback,  j^artlj^  on  foot,  and  partly  by  the  public 
conveyances,  he  reached  the  national  capital  and  laid 
his  petition  in  person  before  his  immediate  representa- 
tive, the  Hon.  Samuel  L.  Hays.  The  manner  of  the 
youth,  his  earnestness,  his  resolution,  his  hopefulness, 
all  spoke  for  him.  These  were  his  credentials;  and  the 
result  was,  he  returned  to  his  home  with  his  warrant' 
in  his  pocket, — his  first  public  reward  for  honest  effort 
in  the  path  of  duty. 

"On  the  1st  of  July,  1842,  he  was  admitted  a  cadet 
in  the  United  States  Military  Academy.  His  class  was 
a  large  and  distinguished  one.  Generals  McClellan, 
Foster,  Reno,  Couch,  and  Gibbon,  of  the  Federal 
Army;  and  Generals  A.  P.  Hill,  Pickett,  Maury,  D.  R. 
Jones,  W.  D.  Smith,  and  Wilcox,  of  the  Confederate 
Army,  were  among  his  classmates.     He  was  at  once 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  71 

brought  into  competition  with  young  men  of  high  culti- 
vation; and,  although  it  is  doubtful  whether  he  had 
seen  a  French  book  in  his  life,  or  a  Mathematical  book, 
except  his  Arithmetic,  he  was  assigned  to  the  fourth 
class,  and  entered  upon  the  study  of  Algebra,  Ge- 
ometry, and  French.  At  the  end  of  his  first  year,  in  a 
class  of  seventy-two,  he  stood  45  in  Mathematics,  70 
in  French,  had  15  demerit  and  was  51  in  general  merit. 
Such  a  standing  would  have  discouraged  an  ordinary 
youth.  Not  so  with  Jackson.  He  knew  his  early  dis- 
advantages. He  was  rather  encouraged  that  he  could 
sustain  himself  at  all;  and,  stimulated  by  this  hope  and 
confidence,  he  pressed  forward  to  the  work  of  the  next 
advanced  class.  Here,  the  studies  were  more  abstruse 
and  more  complicated;  but,  when  the  examination  came 
around,  he  had  risen  to  18  in  Mathematics,  52  in 
French,  was  68  in  drawing  and  55  in  English  studies, 
had  26  demerit,  and  was  30  in  general  merit. 

"In  the  second  class  a  new  course  of  studies  was  pre- 
sented to  him.  Having  completed  the  pure  Mathe- 
matics, French  and  English,  he  had  now  to  enter  upon 
the  stud}^  of  Chemistry  and  Natural  Philosophy;  and 
we  see  the  upward  and  onward  march  of  this  youth  in 
the  result  of  the  year,  which  placed  him  11  in  Natural 
Philosophy,  25  in  Chemistry,  59  in  drawing,  with  no 
demerit  for  the  year,  and  in  general  merit  he  was  20. 
In  July,  1846,  his  class  graduated.  In  the  studies  of 
the  final  year  he  was  12  in  Engineering,  5  in  Ethics,  11 
in  Artillery,  21  in  Infantry  Tactics,  11  in  Mineralogy 
and  Geology,  had  7  demerit  for  the  year,  and  his 
graduating  standing,  including  the  drawbacks  of  his 
previous  years,  was  17. 

•  •«••••* 

"It  was  scarcely  possible  for  a  young  man  to  have 
entered  upon  a  course  of  studies  for  which  he  was  less 
prepared,  from  want  of  early  preparation,  than  he  was. 
Accustomed  to  the  labor  of  the  field,  the  change  in  his 
habits  of  life  would  have  unsettled  any  ordinary  man; 
but  the  resolute  purpose  to  accomplish  what  he  had  un- 
dertaken, and  thus  to  vindicate  the  confidence  of  his 


72  The  Military  History  of 

friends,  animated  him  through  all  his  difficulties,  and 
crowned  him  with  the  honors  of  a  graduate,  and  with 
the  commission  as  a  brevet  second  lieutenant  of  artillery, 
on  the  1st  of  July,  1846. 

"Lieutenant  Jackson  immediately  reported  for  duty 
w^ith  his  regiment,  the  First  Artillery,  and  was  soon 
after  assigned  to  Magruder's  Light  Battery,  then 
serving  in  Mexico.  On  the  3d  of  March,  1847,  he  was 
promoted  to  second  lieutenant,  and  on  the  20th  of 
August  of  the  same  year  to  the  rank  of  first  lieutenant. 
On  that  day  the  battles  of  Contreras  and  Churubusco 
were  fought,  and  'for  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct 
in  these  battles,'  he  was  brevetted  a  captain.  The 
battle  of  Chapultepec  was  fought  on  the  13th  of 
September,  and  he  was  brevetted  a  major  of  artillery 
for  'gallant  and  meritorious  conduct'  in  that  battle. 
Thus,  in  the  brief  period  of  fourteen  months,  he  had 
risen  from  a  brevet  second  lieutenant  of  artillery,  to  the 
rank  of  a  brevet  major  of  artillery, — a  success  without 
parallel  in  the  history  of  the  Mexican  War.  His 
division  commander  thus  noticed  his  conduct :  'The  ad- 
vanced section  of  the  battery,  under  the  command  of 
the  brave  Lieutenant  Jackson,  was  dreadfulh^  cut  up 
and  almost  disabled.'  .  .  .  Captain  Magruder's  field 
battery,  one  section  of  which  was  served  with  great 
gallantr}^  by  himself,  and  the  other  by  his  brave  lieu- 
tenant, Jackson,  in  the  face  of  a  galling  fire  from  the 
enemy's  intrenched  positions,  did  invaluable  service  pre- 
paratory to  the  general  assault. 

"Captain  Magruder  in  his  official  report,  made  the 
following  reference  to  him:  'I  beg  leave  to  call  the 
attention  of  the  Major- General  commanding  the 
division  to  the  conduct  of  Lieutenant  Jackson  of  the 
First  Artillery.  If  devotion,  industry,  talent  and 
gallantry  are  the  highest  qualities  of  a  soldier,  he  is 
entitled  to  the  distinction  which  their  possession  con- 
fers.' "* 

*From  the  memorial  tribute  to  Jackson  written  by  General  Francis  H. 
Smith,  and  read  to  the  Board  of  Visitors  of  the  V.  M.  I.  July  1,  1863.  It 
is  given  here  verbatim  because  it  comprises  a  comtemporary  estimate  upon 
the  facts  of  which,  as  then  known,  the  appointment  of  Jackson  was  made. 

D.  H.  Hill  and  Jackson  were  not  brothers-in-law  at  this  time,  as  is  frequently 
erroneously  asserted. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  73 

Such  was  the  record  of  the  officer  whom  Major  D.  H. 
Hill  recommended  in  the  strongest  terms  to  tJhe  Super- 
intendent, with  the  result  that  Colonel  Smith  at  once 
wrote  Major  Jackson  requesting  permission  to  present 
his  name  to  the  Board.  In  reply,  the  following  letter 
was  received: 

"Fort  Meade,  Fla.,  February  25,  1851. 

"Dear  Sir — I  have  just  received  your  communication  of  the  4th 
inst.,  containing  the  kind  proposition  of  bringing  my  name  before 
the  Board  of  Visitors  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  as  a  candi- 
date for  the  professorship  of  Natural  and  Experimental  Philosophy. 
"Though  strong  ties  bind  me  to  the  Army,  yet  I  can  not  consent 
to  decline  so  flattering  an  offer.  Please  present  my  name  to  the 
Board,  and  accept  my  thanks  for  your  kindness. 
"I  am,  sir, 

"Very  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"T.  J.  Jackson." 

There  was  an  adjourned  meeting  of  the  Board  in 
Richmond,  and  upon  receipt  of  Major  Jackson's  favor- 
able reply,  Colonel  Smith  immediately  repaired  to  that 
city,  and  sought  out  the  Hon.  John  S.  Carlisle,  who  was 
one  of  its  members,  and  a  connection  of  Jackson's. 
Carlisle  heartily  endorsed  his  candidacy,  and  set  to  work 
to  enlist  support  therefor,  arguing  that  inasmuch  as 
little  patronage  had  been  derived  by  the  Institute  from 
the  western  section  of  the  State,  it  would  be  politic  to 
appoint  an  officer  from  that  quarter. 

When  the  Board  convened  on  March  28,  1851,  to  con- 
sider the  disturbing  question  of  appointing  the  new 
professor,  Hon.  John  Brannon,  State  Senator  from 
Lewis  County,  arose  and  nominated  Major  Thomas 
Jonathan  Jackson,  stating  in  a  strong  plea  for  his  ap- 
pointment that  this  officer  was  from  his  section  of  the 
State,  that  he  was  well  known  in  western  Virginia, 
that  the  distinguished  reputation  he  had  gained  in 
Mexico  had  made  him  the  idol  of  the  people,  and  that 
his  election  to  the  chair  would  greatly  strengthen  the 
Institute  in  that  quarter. 


74s  The  ^Military  History  of 

Mr.  Brannon's  nomination  was  promptly  seconded 
and  Major  Jackson  was  mianimously  elected,  a  result 
insin-ed  by  hard  work  and  the  most  thorough  canvass  of 
the  Board  before  the  matter  was  finally  considered. 
Thus,  we  see  that  not  only  Providence,  but  West  Point 
and  State  politics,  all  combined  to  produce  "Stonewall" 
Jackson. 

Colonel  Smith,  highly  pleased  with  his  victory,  com- 
municated the  result  of  the  election  to  Major  Jackson 
on  the  day  it  occurred,  and  nearly  a  month  later  received 
the  following  reply: 

"Fort  Meade,  Fla.,  April  22,  1851. 

"Colonel — Your  letter  of  the  28th  ult.,  informing  me  that  I 
had  been  elected  Professor  of  Natural  and  Experimental  Philosophy 
and  Artillery  Tactics,  in  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  has  been 
received. 

"The  high  honor  conferred  by  the  Board  of  Visitors  in  selecting 
me  unanimously  to  fill  such  a  professorship  gratified  me  exceedingly. 

"I  hope  to  be  able  to  meet  the  Board  on  the  28th  of  June,  next, 
but  fear  that  circumstances  over  which  I  have  no  control  will 
prevent  my  doing  so  before  that  time.  For  your  kindness  in 
endeavoring  to  procure  me  a  leave  of  absence  for  six  months,  as 
well  as  for  the  interest  you  have  otherwise  manifested  in  my  behalf, 
I  feel  under  strong  and  lasting  obligations. 

"Should  I  desire  a  furlough  of  more  than  one  month,  commencing 
on  the  1st  of  July  next,  it  will  be  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  Europe. 

"I  regret  that  recent  illness  has  prevented  my  giving  you  an 
earlier  answer.  Any  communication  which  you  may  have  to  make, 
previous  to  the  1st  of  June,  please  direct  to  this  place. 

"I  am.  Colonel, 

"Very  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"T.  J.  Jackson. 
"To  Col.  Francis  Smith, 

"Sup't  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"Lexington,  Rockbridge  Countj-,  Virginia." 

At  this  time.  Major  Jackson's  health  was  very  poor, 
and  his  eyes,  especially,  were  so  weak  he  had  to  exercise 
great  prudence  in  using  them,  never  doing  so  at  night. 
Thus  crippled  for  his  new  work,  he  was  asked  by  a 
friend  if  he  did  not  hesitate  to  accept  a  position  when  he 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  75 

was  i^hysically  incapacitated  to  fill  it.  "Xot  in  the 
least,"  was  his  prompt  answer.  "The  appointment  came 
unsought,  and  was  therefore  providential;  and  I  knew 
that  if  Providence  set  me  a  task,  He  would  give  me  the 
power  to  perform  it.  So,  I  resolved  to  get  well,  and  you 
see  I  have.  As  to  the  rest,  I  knew  that  what  /  willed 
to  do,  I  could  do/' 

Major  Jackson  tendered  his  resignation  at  once,  to 
take  effect  February  29,  1852,  and  secured  a  leave  of 
absence  from  June  until  that  date.  In  the  meantime, 
he  was  transferred  to  Fort  Hamilton,  and  in  order  to 
recuperate  his  strength,  he  spent  the  month  of  July  on 
Lake  Ontario,  and,  reporting  at  Lexington  early  in 
August,  was  assigned  to  duty  as  Acting  Commandant, 
with  Captains  R.  E.  Rodes  and  J.  W.  Massie  as  his 
assistants.  In  a  few  days  Major  Jackson  marched  the 
Corps  to  Warm  Springs,  Virginia,  where  it  remained 
in  camp  for  three  weeks,  returning  to  Lexington  in  time 
for  the  opening  of  the  session,  September  1st,  at  which 
time  JNIajor  Gilliam  returned  from  leave. 

During  the  encampment  Major  Jackson  did  not 
prove  a  success  as  a  Commandant,  and  gave  no  evidence 
of  ability  to  command  young  men.  His  appointment 
led  to  the  early  resignation  of  Captain  Rodes,  who  took 
up  railroad  engineering,  which  profession  he  followed 
with  success  until  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  just  before 
which  he  was  elected  a  professor  at  the  Institute.* 

*Upon  reporting  for  duty  at  the  Insstitute,  Major  Jackson  found  an  old 
friend  who  had  been  most  insistent  in  his  humble  way,  urging  the  former's 
appointment.  General  Smith,  who  was  from  Norfolls,  and  frequently  visited 
Fortress  Monroe,  had  some  years  before  appointed  Sergeant  Dempsey,  of  the 
Artillery,  Ordnance  Sergeant  at  the  Institute.  This  worthy  man,  who  faithfully 
served  the  Institute  many  years,  had  been  a  member  of  Jackson's  battery  in 
Mexico.  Upon  learning  that  an  artillery  officer  was  being  sought  for  by  the 
Superintendent,  he  had  persistently  spoken  of  Major  Jackson,  his  old  battery 
commander,  referring  again  and  again  to  Major  Jackson  as  the  finest  officer  in 
the   Artillery.  ,     ,      ^  .^^,  , 

When  Jackson  was  buried  in  Lexington,  Mrs.  Jackson  presented  the  faithful 
Sergeant  Dempsey  with  the  military  boots  in  which  her  husband  was  killed, 
and  they  are  now  owned  by  a  gentleman  in  Lexington  to  whose  mother  they 
were   willed   by   their   proud   owner. 


76  The  Military  History  of 


CHAPTER  V 

IN    TIME    OF    PEACE    PREPARE    FOR    WAR GILHAM    AND 

JACKSON 

The  faculty  of  the  Institute  now  consisted  of  Colonel 
Smith,  Majors  Preston,  Williamson,  GiDiam,  and 
Jackson,  and  several  young  Assistant  Professors  with 
tactical  duties.  Captain  Rodes  resigned  soon  after 
Jackson's  appointment. 

It  is  frequently  assumed  by  those  ignorant  of  the 
facts,  that  Jackson  was  the  military  genius  of  the  Insti- 
tute during  his  association  with  the  School.  Nothing 
could  be  more  erroneous  than  such  a  belief.  His  sole 
connection  with  the  military  affairs  of  the  School  was  as 
Instructor  of  Ordnance  and  Artillery  Tactics  and  Com- 
mander of  the  Cadet  battery  which  President  Taylor 
had  presented  the  Corps  the  year  before  Jackson's 
appointment. 

As  a  member  of  the  faculty  Jackson  did  undoubtedly 
exert  his  own  peculiar  influence  upon  the  Corps  of 
Cadets  and  the  community  in  which  he  dwelt;  but  his 
was  not  a  commanding  influence,  nor  did  he  in  an}'  way 
shape  the  course  of  events  at  the  Institute,  or  its 
character  as  a  School  of  Arms.  I  believe  it  is  not  too 
much  to  say  that  Jackson  was  influenced  more  by  the 
Institute  than  it  was  by  him.  Even  had  he  possessed 
the  personality  to  be  a  leader  of  thought,  he  did  not 
occupy  a  sufficiently  prominent  position  as  a  mere  pro- 
fessor, without  executive  duties  of  any  kind,  to  exercise 
a  positive  control. 

In  the  writer's  opinion,  the  impression  of  Jackson 
which  a  late  popular  novelist  has  sought  to  create  is  not 
a  correct  one.  That  impression  harmonizes  too  well 
with  the  Boer-like  figure  portrayed  in  the  frontispiece 
of  the  "Long  Roll."  Jackson  was  undoubtedly  eccentric 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  77 

as  we  shall  see,  but  he  was  not  a  bore;  he  was  peculiar 
but  not  rough.  He  was  not  handsome,  but  in  his  ap- 
pearance there  was  nothing  partaking  of  the  repulsive; 
he  was  rather  unhandsome  than  ugly;  unpolished  than 
coarse  in  grain. 

The  writer  did  not,  of  course,  know  Jackson,  but  he 
has  been  at  particular  pains  to  gain  a  correct  impression 
of  the  man  as  he  appeared  while  a  professor  at  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute.  Jackson  may  have  ap- 
peared otherwise  to  those  who  knew  him  elsewhere ;  but 
to  his  personal  acquaintances,  his  brother-officers,  his 
business  associates,  his  official  superiors,  his  military 
subordinates,  his  social  equals,  his  servants,  his  superiors 
and  his  inferiors,  in  Lexington,  he  presented  the  fea- 
tures so  carefully  and  vividly  portrayed  by  his  military 
biographer,  John  Esten  Cooke.  That  likeness  has  been 
verified  in  detail  by  the  author.  It  bears  the  flesh  tints 
from  the  brush  of  an  artist  who  painted  from  life,  and, 
as  it  can  not  be  improved  upon  in  the  writer's  opinion, 
it  is  herein  incorporated : 

"Well-meaning  persons  have  drawn  a  wholly  incor- 
rect likeness  of  Jackson  at  this  period  of  his  life.  Misled 
by  admiration,  and  yielding  to  the  temptation  to 
eulogy,  they  have  bestowed  upon  Professor  Jackson 
every  moral  and  physical  grace,  and  even  his  eccentric- 
ities have  been  toned  down  into  winning  ways,  original 
and  characteristic,  which  only  made  their  possessor 
more  charming  than  before.  We  are  sorry  to  say  this 
is  all  fancy.  Jackson  was  the  farthest  possible  removed 
from  anything  graceful;  and  as  the  first  merit  of  any 
biography  is  accuracy,  we  shall  endeavor  to  lay  before 
the  reader  a  truthful  sketch  of  the  real  form  seen  mov- 
ing to  and  fro,  on  the  streets  of  Lexington,  between  the 
years  1851  and  1861. 

"It  was  the  figure  of  a  tall,  gaunt,  awkward  indi- 
vidual, wearing  a  gray  uniform,  and  apparently  moving 
by  separate  and  distinct  acts  of  volition.  This  stiff  and 
unbending  figure  passed  over  the  ground  with  a  sort 
of  stride,  as  though  measuring  the  distance  from  one 


78  The  Military  History  of 

given  point  to  another;  and  those  who  followed  its 
curious  movements  saw  it  pause  at  times,  apparently 
from  having  reached  the  point  desired.  The  ej^es  of  the 
individual  at  such  moments  were  fixed  intently  upon 
the  ground;  his  lips  moved  in  soliloquy;  the  absent  and 
preoccupied  gaze  and  general  expression  of  the  features 
plainly  showed  a  profound  unconsciousness  of  'place 
and  time.'  It  was  perfectly  obvious  that  the  mind  of 
the  military-looking  personage  in  the  gray  coat  was 
busy  upon  some  problem  entirely  disconnected  from  his 
actual  surroundings.  The  fact  of  his  presence  at  Lex- 
ington, in  the  commonwealth  of  Virginia,  had  evidently 
disappeared  from  his  consciousness;  the  figures  moving 
around  him  were  mere  plantasmagoria ;  he  had  travelled 
in  search  of  some  principle  of  philosophy,  or  some  truth 
in  theology,  quite  out  of  the  real,  work-a-day  world,  and 
deep  in  the  land  of  dreams.  If  you  spoke  to  him  at 
such  times,  he  awoke  as  if  it  were  from  sleep,  and  looked 
into  your  face  with  an  air  of  simplicity  and  inquiry, 
which  sufficiently  proved  the  sudden  transition  which  he 
had  made  from  the  world  of  thoughts  to  that  of  reality. 

"In  lecturing  to  his  class,  his  manner  was  grave, 
earnest,  full  of  military  brevity,  and  destitute  of  all  the 
graces  of  the  speaker.  Business-like,  systematic,  some- 
what stern,  with  an  air  of  rigid  rule,  as  though  the 
matter  at  issue  were  of  the  utmost  importance,  and 
he  was  entrusted  with  the  responsibility  of  seeing  that 
due  attention  was  paid  to  it — he  did  not  make  a  very 
favorable  impression  upon  the  volatile  youths,  who  sat 
at  the  feet  of  this  military  Gamaliel.  They  listened 
decorously  to  the  grave  Professor,  but,  once  dismissed 
from  his  presence,  took  revenge  by  a  thousand  jests 
upon  his  peculiarities  of  mind  and  demeanor.  His 
oddities  were  the  subject  of  incessant  jokes;  his  eccentric 
ways  were  dwelt  upon  with  all  the  eloquence  and  sar- 
castic gusto  which  characterize  the  gay  conversation  of 
young  men  discussing  an  unpopular  teacher.  No 
idiosyncrasy  of  the  Professor  was  lost  sight  of.  His 
stiff,   angular  figure;  the  awkward  movement   of  his 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  79 

body;  his  absent  and  'grum'  demeanor;  his  exaggerated 
and  apparently  absurd  devotion  to  mihtary  regularity; 
his  wearisome  exactions  of  a  similar  observance  on  their 
part ; — that  general  oddity,  eccentricity,  and  singularity 
in  moving,  talking,  thinking,  and  acting  peculiar  to  him- 
self— all  these  were  described  on  a  thousand  occasions, 
and  furnished  unfailing  food  for  laughter.  They  called 
him  'Old  Tom  Jackson';  and  pointing  significantly  to 
their  foreheads,  said  he  was  'not  quite  right  there.' 
Some  inclined  to  the  belief  that  he  was  only  a  great 
eccentric;  but  others  declared  him  'crazy.'  Those  who 
had  experienced  the  full  weight  of  his  professorial  baton 
— who  had  been  reprimanded  before  the  class,  or  're- 
ported' to  the  Superintendent  for  punishment  or  dis- 
missal— called  him  'Fool  Tom  Jackson.' 

"These  details  are  not  very  heroic,  and  detract  con- 
siderably from  that  dignified  outline  which  eulogistic 
writers  upon  Jackson  have  drawn.  But  they  are  true. 
Nothing  is  better  established  than  the  fact  that  the 
man  to  whom  General  Lee  wrote,  'Could  I  have  directed 
events,  I  should  have  chosen  for  the  good  of  the  coimtry 
to  have  been  disabled  in  your  stead,'  and  of  whom  the 
London  Times  said,  'That  mixture  of  daring  and  judg- 
ment, which  is  the  mark  of  "Heaven  born"  Generals, 
distinguished  him  beyond  any  man  of  his  time' — noth- 
ing is  more  certain,  we  say,  than  that  this  man  was 
sneered  at  as  a  fool,  and  on  many  occasions  stigmatized 
as  insane. 

"It  is  doubtless  true,  however,  that  some  of  the 
youths,  of  more  generous  disposition  or  penetrating 
judgment,  did  not  share  in  this  general  opinion.*  They 
saw  in  the  young  professor  originality  rather  than  ec- 
centricity of  mind.  They  could  acknowledge  the 
peculiarities  of  his  views  and  opinions,  and  the  singular- 
it}^  of  some  of  his  habits,  without  sharing  the  popular 
impression  that  some  wheel  or  crank  of  his  mental 
machinery  was  out  of  order.    Upon  one  point,  however, 

*Among  whom  may  be  mentioned  Col.  R.  Preston  Chew,  '61,  who,  in  hia 
address  at  the  Institute  on  the  occasion  of  the  unveiling  of  Ezekiel's  .Tackson 
Statue  denied  much  that  has  been  written  about  Jackson's  appearance  and 
eccentricities. 


80  -   The  Military  History  of 

there  seems  to  have  been  a  general  concurrence:  the 
young  teacher's  possession  of  an  indomitable  fearless- 
ness and  integrity  in  the  discharge  of  every  duty.  His 
worst  enemies  never  ventured  to  say  that  he  did  not 
walk  the  straight  path  of  right,  and  administer  his 
official  duties  without  fear,  favor,  or  affection.  They 
were  forced  to  recognize  the  fact  that  this  stiff  military 
machine  measured  out  justice  to  all  alike,  irrespective 
of  persons,  and  could  not  be  turned  aside  from  the 
direct  course  by  any  influences  around  him.  The  cadets 
laughed  at  him,  but  thej?^  were  afraid  of  him.  They 
agreed,  by  common  consent,  that  it  was  time  thrown 
away  to  write  excuses  for  a  'report'  made  by  Major 
Jackson.  The  faculty  had  come,  from  long  experience, 
to  understand  that  when  Major  Jackson  reported  a 
cadet  he  deserved  punishment,  and  the  consequence  was 
that,  although  the  young  men  derided  his  peculiarities, 
and  laughed  in  private  at  his  odd  ways,  thej^  felt  that 
he  was  their  master,  and  yielded  full  obedience  to  his 
orders. 

"Such  was  the  ex-artillerist  turned  professor.  From 
his  functions  of  professor  in  the  schoolroom,  he  would 
pass  to  those  of  instructor  of  artillery  on  the  parade 
ground.  Here  he  was  more  in  his  element.  He  was 
called  upon  to  teach  the  mysteries  of  that  arm  of  the 
service  which  he  loved  above  all  others;  and  the  pro- 
ficiency of  the  cadets  in  drill  and  all  the  evolutions  of 
the  battery  was  soon  a  subject  of  remark.  Jackson 
took  great  interest  in  those  drills,  especially  when  blank 
cartridges  were  used.  'An  Ex-Cadet,'  in  his  interesting 
accomit  of  this  portion  of  Jackson's  life,  says:  'As  soon 
as  the  sound  of  the  guns  would  fall  upon  his  ears,  a 
change  would  seem  to  come  over  Major  Jackson.  He 
would  grow  more  erect ;  the  grasp  upon  his  sabre  would 
tighten;  the  quiet  eyes  would  flash;  the  large  nostrils 
would  dilate,  and  the  calm,  grave  face  would  glow  with 
the  proud  spirit  of  the  warrior.  I  have  been  frequently 
struck  with  this,  and  have  often  called  the  attention  of 
others  to  it.' 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  81 

"We  have  thus  presented  the  figure  of  Jackson  under 
two  or  three  aspects — as  the  absent-looking  thinker 
moving,  lost  in  meditation,  through  the  streets  of  Lex- 
ington; the  grave  professor  in  the  lecturer's  desk,  and 
the  officer  of  artillery,  with  sabre  at  his  side,  directing 
the  drill  and  drawling  out  his  commands  in  the  long, 
singsong  fashion,  peculiar  to  the  graduates  of  West 
Point.  His  appearance  on  Sunday  will  conclude  our 
outline.  He  attended  church  with  unfailing  regularity. 
Punctual  to  the  moment,  the  form  of  the  Professor  was 
seen  to  enter  church,  decorously  approach  the  familiar 
pew,  and  enter  with  grave  respect  in  his  whole  de- 
meanor. Book  in  hand,  he  followed  the  words  of  the 
hymn  sung  by  the  congregation,  and  at  the  signal  for 
prayer  rose  erect,  his  tall  figure  remaining  motionless 
as  a  statue  until  the  prayer  was  finished.  After  the 
service  he  retraced  his  steps  with  decorous  gravity  and 
retired  to  his  quarters,  to  return  again  with  the  same 
punctuality,  and  conduct  himself  with  the  same  solemn 
respect,  at  the  evening  services.  The  hours  of  Sun- 
day not  spent  in  church  were  given  up  to  religious 
reading,  meditation,  and  prayer  in  his  study  or  in  the 
bosom  of  his  family. 

"Thus  passed,  in  routine  of  duty,  barren  and  dull  to 
the  beholder,  but  doubtless  interesting  to  him,  a  period 
of  nearly  ten  years.  Jackson's  health  was  still  delicate, 
and  he  suffered  much  from  weakness  of  eyesight;  but 
these  drawbacks  did  not  interfere  with  the  rigid  and 
complete  discharge  of  his  duties.  The  feebleness  of 
his  sight  induced  him  to  turn  his  attention  especially 
to  that  subject,  and  when  the  revolution  conmienced,  he 
had  made  considerable  progress  in  an  elementary  work 
on  Optics,  which  he  proposed  to  pubHsh  for  the  benefit 
of  his  class.  His  character  seems  to  have  been  under- 
stood and  appreciated  by  the  best  classes  of  the  little 
society  of  Lexington,  and  his  virtues  were  greatly  re- 
spected. Men  of  grave  character  and  experience  dis- 
cerned the  merits  of  the  solid  man:  and  if  the}^  did  not 
suspect  the  presence  of  that  military  genius  which  he 


82  The  Military  History  of 

afterwards  exhibited  on  another  arena,  they  valued  him 
for  liis  conscientious  devotion  to  duty,  and  loved  him  for 
his  simplicity  and  piety.  One  who  was  connected  with 
him  officially  at  this  time.  Colonel  Smith,  the  Superin- 
tendent, writes :  'His  great  principle  of  government  was 
tliat  the  general  rule  should  not  be  violated  for  any 
particular  good;  and  his  animating  rule  of  action  was, 
that  a  man  could  always  accomplish  what  he  willed  to 
perform.'  This  statement  may  be  paraphrased  in  the 
Avords  system,  regularity,  justice,  impartiality,  and  un- 
conscionable perseverance  and  determination.  These 
were  valuable  lessons  to  teach  youths.  They  laughed 
at  him,  but  they  imbibed  the  principles  of  action  which 
he  taught.  Thej^  derided  the  rigid  discipline  which  the 
young  monitor  enacted ;  denounced  him  for  administer- 
ing things  on  a  'war  footing,'  and  no  doubt  honestly 
regarded  him  as  a  most  unreasonable  advocate  of  useless 
military  etiquette;  but  they  were  slowly  and  certainly 
trained,  like  growing  twigs,  in  the  direction  which  the 
teacher  wished.  Jackson  proceeded  upon  the  eminently 
just  view  that  the  Institute  was  a  military  school, 
whose  chief  value  consisted  in  the  habits  of  military 
system  and  obedience  which  is  impressed  on  the  ductile 
characters  of  the  cadets,  and  regarded  any  relaxation 
of  the  rules  of  the  establishment  as  directly  tending  to 
strike  at  the  intention  of  its  founders  and  destroy  its 
usefulness.  Many  anecdotes  touching  this  point  are 
related  of  him.  He  once  continued  to  wear  a  thick 
woolen  uniform  during  the  sultriest  days  of  summer, 
when  everybody  else  had  adopted  the  lightest  attire 
possible;  and  when  asked  by  one  of  the  professors  why 
he  did  so,  replied  'that  he  had  seen  an  order  prescribing 
the  uniform  which  he  wore,  but  none  had  been  exhibited 
to  him  directing  it  to  be  changed.' 

•  •  •  •-•  •  •  • 

"As  yet,  however,  the  cadets  laughed,  and  doubted 
the  good  sense  of  all  this  rigid  discipline.  They  not 
only  made  fun  of  the  grave  Professor  behind  his  back, 
but   persecuted  and   'sorely  tried'   him,   says   an   'Ex- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  83 

Cadet',  by  practical  jokes.  One  of  these  was  amusing, 
and  will  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  youths  with 
whom  he  had  to  deal.  The  battery  used  in  drilling  was 
managed  by  drag-ropes,  which  the  plebe  class  manned. 
Sometimes  a  linchpin  would  be  secretly  abstracted,  and 
the  piece  or  caisson  would  break  dowTi  in  the  midst  of 
the  drill.  A  more  mirth-provoking  device  even  than 
this,  however,  was  hit  upon.  A  small  bell  was  adroitly 
suspended  inside  of  the  limber-box,  and  the  conspirators 
demurely  took  their  places  at  the  drag-ropes.  The  com- 
mander of  the  battery  gave  the  order,  'Forward',  and 
the  pieces  began  to  move.  Suddenly  a  mysterious 
tinkling  was  heard,  and  the  cadets,  unable  to  withstand 
this  tax  upon  their  risible  faculties,  burst  into  shouts  of 
laughter.  The  Professor  looked  astonished,  halted  the 
battery,  and  with  great  earnestness  instituted  an  in- 
quiry into  the  phenomenon.  It  was  in  vain;  nothing  was 
discovered,  and  the  order  was  again  given  for  the  pieces 
to  move  forward.  They  moved,  and  the  hidden  bell 
again  tinkled,  amid  renewed  shouts  of  laughter.  How 
this  adventure  terminated  we  are  not  informed,  but 
there  is  no  doubt  the  trick  was  played  and  was  not 
greatly  enjoyed  by  Professor  Jackson.  Other  devices 
of  the  frolicsome  cadets  to  annoy  him  seem  to  have  af- 
fected him  with  a  touch  of  humor.  We  have  referred 
to  the  long  drawling  manner  in  which,  following  the 
fashion  of  West  Point,  he  gave  his  commands.  A  fav- 
orite movement  with  him  was  to  bring  the  battery 
into  echelon;  and  whenever  the  command  to  'Form 
echelon'  was  given  with  its  accompaniment,  'Right 
oblique— trot — march!'  the  whole  ground  would  ring 
with  the  commands,  repeated  by  the  cadet  officers,  in  the 
most  ridiculous  drawl  imaginable.  One  evening  when 
this  had  been  carried  to  unwonted  excess,  the  adjutant 
approached  Jackson  and  asked  him  how  he  was  pleased 
with  the  drill. 

"  'Very  much,  sir,'  replied  Jackson;  then  smiling 
slightly  he  added,  'the  officers  gave  very  fine  commands 
this  afternoon.' 


84  The  Military  History  of 

"No  opportunity  of  having  a  laugh  at  the  Professor's 
expense  was  lost  sight  of,  and  on  another  occasion  the 
cadets  had  some  grounds  for  their  amusements.  One 
day  Jackson  informed  his  class  that  the  clock  in  front 
of  the  Institute  was  not  correct,  and  declared  his  in- 
tention to  ascertain,  by  scientific  means,  the  exact  time. 
He  accordingly  marched  out  to  the  parade  ground,  with 
the  class  at  his  heels,  and  proceeded,  by  means  of  his 
instruments,  to  take  an  observation.  The  result  was 
amusing  and  delighted  the  cadet-heart.  He  finished  his 
work  about  half-past  twelve  in  the  day,  and  to  his  pro- 
found astonishment  discovered  that  it  was  nearly  seven 
in  the  evening!  The  cadets  set  up  a  shout,  and  after 
looking  around  him  with  an  incredulous  surprise  for 
some  moments,  Jackson  joined  in  the  general  laughter. 
It  was  soon  discovered  that  the  instruments  were  out 
of  order,  but  the  cadets  did  not  suffer  this  fact  to  lessen 
their  appreciation  of  the  joke. 

"One  of  the  few  exhibitions  of  the  tendency  to  humor 
which  we  find  in  Jackson's  whole  career  occurred  at  this 
period.  The  reader  will  not  be  troubled  with  many 
similar  incidents,  and  we  give  the  anecdote  here.  One 
morning  in  1858  he  called  upon  a  member  of  the 
graduating  class,  and  with  profound  gravity  pro- 
pounded the  following  scientific  question: 

"  'Why  is  it  impossible  to  send  a  telegraphic  dispatch 
from  Lexington  to  Staunton?' 

"The  cadet  reflected  for  some  moments,  and  then  re- 
plied that  the  explanation  of  this  phenomenon  doubt- 
less lay  in  the  fact  that  the  amount  of  iron  ore  in  the 
mountains  drew  the  magnetic  current  from  the  wires. 

"A  covert  smile  touched  upon  Jackson's  features; 
fled  away,  and  he  said: 

"  'No,  sir;  you  can  take  your  seat.' 

"Another  was  called  up,  but  he  too  failed  to  explain 
the  mystery.  A  second,  then  a  third  were  equally  mi- 
successful — Jackson  listening  to  their  theories  with  pro- 
found attention,  but  with  the  same  sly  smile  that  had 
greeted   the   first   solution.      This   smile   probably   at- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  85 

tracted  the  attention  of  the  next  cadet  who  was  called, 
and  threw  a  sudden  light  upon  the  subject.  His 
countenance  lit  up ;  his  lips  broke  into  a  smile  in  return, 
and  he  said: 

"  'Well,  Major  Jackson,  I  reckon  it  must  be,  because 
there  is  no  telegraph  between  the  two  places.' 

"  'You  are  right,  sir,'  replied  Jackson,  who  had  sud- 
denly renewed  his  composed  expression.  'You  can  take 
your  seat.' 

"An  outburst  of  laughter  from  the  class  greeted  this 
passage  of  arms  in  which  the  Professor  was  overthrown, 
but  the  unwonted  display  of  humor  had  apparently  ex- 
hausted Jackson's  appreciation  of  the  quality  for  the 
time.  He  called  the  class  to  order,  and  calmly  con- 
tinued the  subject  of  the  recitation  as  if  nothing  had 
happened. 

"We  give  this  incident  upon  good  authority.  It  is 
the  first  and  last  attempt  at  a  practical  joke  which  we 
find  in  Jackson's  life. 

"Another  incident  of  his  dealings  with  the  cadets  is 
an  illustration  of  the  quiet  courage  of  the  man,  and 
disregard  of  personal  consequences  where  duty  was  con- 
cerned. He  had  brought  charges  against  a  cadet,  who 
was  tried  and  dismissed  from  the  Institute.  Burning 
with  resentment,  the  young  man  declared  his  intention 
to  take  Jackson's  life,  and  arming  himself  took  his 
position  on  the  road  from  Lexington  to  the  Institute, 
over  which  he  knew  the  Professor  would  pass  to  meet 
his  class.  A  friend  had  overheard  the  youth  express  his 
bloody  intention,  and  hastening  to  warn  Jackson,  met 
him  on  the  road,  and  informed  him  of  his  danger, 
strongly  urging  him  to  turn  back.  To  turn  back,  how- 
ever, was  to  neglect  his  recitations  on  that  day,  and  to 
hold  his  recitations  was  a  part  of  his  duty.  He 
peremptorily  refused  to  retrace  his  steps,  and  with  the 
cold  and  stern  reply,  'Let  the  assassin  murder  me  if  he 
will!'  continued  his  way.  As  he  approached  the  spot 
indicated,  he  saw  the  young  man  standing  and  awaiting 
him.     He  turned  and  gazed  fixedly  at  him  with  that 


86  The  Military  History  of 

look  which  had  fronted,  unmoved,  the  most  terrible 
scenes  of  carnage  upon  many  battlefields.  The  youth 
could  not  sustain  it;  he  lowered  his  eyes,  and,  turning 
away  in  silence,  left  the  spot,  while  Jackson  cahnly  pur- 
sued his  way. 

"We  have  here  placed  upon  record,  with  such  illus- 
trations as  we  could  collect,  the  traits  of  character  which 
distinguished  Jackson  at  this  period  of  his  life.  One 
other  which  is  mentioned  by  a  recent  biographer  should 
be  noticed — the  strength  of  his  memory.  'In  the  section- 
room,'  says  'an  Ex-Cadet',  'he  would  sit  perfectly  erect 
and  motionless,  listening  with  grave  attention,  and  ex- 
hibiting the  great  powers  of  his  wonderful  memory, 
which  was,  I  think,  the  most  remarkable  that  ever  came 
under  my  observation.  The  course  that  he  taught  was 
the  most  difficult  and  complicated  known  to  mathe- 
matics, running  through  at  least  half  a  dozen  text- 
books. In  listening  to  a  recitation  he  rarely  used  a  book. 
He  was  ready  at  any  moment  to  refer  to  any  page  or 
line  in  any  of  the  books,  and  then  to  repeat  with  per- 
fect accuracy  the  most  difficult  passages  that  could  be 
referred  to.' 

"Such  was  Jackson  at  Lexington;  a  stiff,  earnest, 
military  figure — artillery  officer  turned  professor;  stern 
in  his  bearing,  eccentric  in  his  habits,  peculiar  in  many 
of  his  views,  leading  a  life  of  alternate  activity  in  the 
section-room,  and  abstraction  in  the  study,  independent, 
devoted  to  duty,  deeply  religious  in  sentiment,  and 
notable  in  person,  deportment,  and  character  for  an  un- 
doubted originality.  The  eccentric  figure  was  as  well 
known  in  Lexington  as  the  'Iron  Duke',  raising  the 
finger  to  his  hat,  and  uttering  his  curt  greeting  in  the 
streets  of  London.  As  j^ears  wore  on,  his  character  was 
better  understood — his  merit  more  fully  recognized. 
We  may  doubt  Colonel  Smith's  assertion  that  at  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war,  'the  spontaneous  sentiment  of 
every  cadet  and  graduate  was  to  serve  under  him  as  their 
leader,'  but  there  is  good  reason  to  believe  that  he  had 
strongly  impressed  great  numbers  of  persons  with  a 


The  Vikginia  Military  Institute  87 

conviction  of  his  soldierly  qualities — his  good  judgment, 
impartiality,  perseverance,  courage,  and  knowledge  of 
the  profession  of  arms."* 

To  the  foregoing  description  of  Jackson's  career  as 
a  professor  at  the  Institute  much  might  be  added  in  the 
natiu'e  of  confirmatory  evidence.  But  I  shall  only  at- 
tempt to  fill  in  the  gaps,  avoiding  repetition  as  much  as 
possible. 

As  a  professor,  Major  Jackson  was  not  a  success.  It 
is  not  in  that  iconoclastic  spirit  which  too  commonly 
leads  the  flippant  critic  to  break  down  popular  beliefs 
concerning  the  perfections  of  great  men,  but  in  the 
interest  of  historical  truth,  that  this  assertion  is  here 
made.  According  to  the  testimon}^  of  his  superior  officer 
at  the  Institute,  who  w^as  responsible  for  his  appoint- 
ment, and  knew  of  his  abilities  as  a  professor  in  a  way 
that  no  other  did,  Jackson  displayed  no  qualifications 
for  the  chair  he  was  selected  to  fill.  By  nature,  he  was 
no  teacher;  and  he  lacked  the  tact  required  for  the  suc- 
cessful handling  of  young  men.  Every  officer  and  every 
cadet  respected  him  for  his  many  sterling  qualities. 
They  knew  him  to  be  brave,  conscientious,  and  to  be 
a  good  Christian  man;  and  the  glamor  of  his  military 
exploits  in  Mexico  appealed  with  especial  force  to  the 
youth  with  whom  he  was  associated;  but  his  warmest 
personal  admirers  perceived  at  once  he  was  not  gifted 
in  the  work  he  had  chosen  to  pursue. 

Even  as  a  military  commander  at  the  Institute, 
Major  Jackson  failed  to  inspire  that  confidence  in  the 
cadets  which  one,  who  later  developed  such  high  genius 
for  command,  might  now  be  supposed  to  have  done. 
It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  the  peculiarities  of  genius 
are  usually  construed  as  eccentricities,  by  associates, 
rather  than  as  indicative  evidence  of  extraordinary 
ability  on  the  part  of  the  one  possessing  them.  It  is 
only  in  the  retrospect  that  one  attributes  idiosyncrasies 

♦stonewall  Jackson,  a  Military  Biography,  John  Esten  Cooke,  pp.  23-32. 
See  also  Memorial  Va.  Mil.  Inst..  Walker ;  Henderson's  Stonewall  .Tackson 
and  the  American  Civil  War ;  Life  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  Daniels ;  Wearing 
of  the  Gray,  Cooke ;  Life  and  Campaigns  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  Dabney ; 
and   Religious  Character  of   Stonewall   Jackson,   Smith. 


88  The  Militaey  History  of 

to  the  temperament  of  genius;  and  youth  especially  is 
wont  to  lose  no  time  forecasting  future  greatness  from 
present  eccentricity.  Young  men,  and  the  large  ma- 
jority of  maturer  minds  as  well,  are  concerned  with 
the  material  aspect  of  things  in  their  relation  to  the 
present.  Thus  it  is,  that  the  smaller  intellect  capable 
of  a  complete  mastery  of  a  task  of  commensurate  magni- 
tude, is  ordinarily  rated  higher  in  the  general  estimate 
than  a  less  circimiscribed  intellect  which  gives  imperfect 
evidences  of  its  grasp  of  tangible  things.  Especially  is 
this  true  of  cadets,  who  in  their  uncritical  judgment 
would  at  once  underestimate  a  Hannibal,  should  he 
undertake  to  discharge  the  duties  of  a  drill-master,  with- 
out a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  details  involved.  The 
immature  mind,  whether  of  youth  or  men,  does  not  deal 
in  generalities,  but  exacts  preciseness  in  the  most  trivial 
matters.  Nor  can  it  accept  the  unconventional  oddities 
of  style  and  manner,  beneath  which  a  broader  mind  de- 
tects the  more  essential  qualities ;  they  onty  obscure  those 
qualities  from  the  view  of  the  undiscerning ;  and  thus 
the  superficial  attributes  are  construed  as  the  true  na- 
ture of  the  subject  under  consideration. 

"Major  Jackson's  presence  was  not  striking,  his  man- 
ners were  not  attractive,  and  his  habits  were  so  eccentric 
that  he  had  not  ranked  high  as  a  professor;  even  at  the 
time  of  his  most  astonishing  victories,  and  when  any 
cadet  there  would  have  given  all  he  possessed  to  be  with 
him,  the  stories  of  'Old  Jack's'  eccentricities  made  daily 
sport  for  the  cadets."  Such  were  the  accurate  recol- 
lections of  one  who  upon  mature  reflection  sought  to  re- 
cord his  youthful  estimate  of  the  great  man,  under 
whom  he  had  served  as  a  cadet.*  And  this  testimony 
is  almost  universally  corroborated. 

One  who  knows  human  nature,  and  more  particularly 
the  nature  of  young  men, — one  who  has  not  yet  lost 
touch  with  the  spirit  of  youth,  may  readily  detect  from 
the  following  account  the  feelings  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets 
with  respect  to  Major  Jackson: 

*End  of  an  Era,  John   S.  Wise,  p.   268. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  89 

"It  was  a  famous  joke  how,  when  he  had  been  drilhng 
the  Third  Class  in  hght  artillery,  with  the  'plebes'  as 
horses,  the  cadets  had  drawn  the  linchpins  from  the 
cannon  wheels ;  and  as  the  guns  made  the  turn  near  the 
parapet  along  the  edge  of  the  parade  ground,  the  wheels 
had  come  off  and  sent  the  pieces  tumbling  over  the 
slope.  When  this  would  happen,  as  it  often  did.  Major 
Jackson  would  gallop  up,  look  ruefulh^  down  the  slope, 
and  remark,  without  the  slightest  suspicion:  'There 
must  be  something  defective  in  the  construction  of  these 
linchpins;  they  seem  inclined  to  fly  out  whenever  the 
pieces  in  rapid  motion  change  direction.'  " 

Now,  here,  let  it  be  interpolated,  no  such  incident  as 
this  could  have  occurred  but  once  (at  most),  under 
Major  Gilham  who,  the  first  time  it  did  occur,  would 
in  his  more  practical  laiowledge  of  young  men,  probably 
have  required  the  old  cadets  to  draw  the  pieces  up  the 
slope,  instead  of  halting  them  in  the  shade  while  the 
innocent  human  gun-teams  labored  at  the  task!  Such 
an  expedient  would  have  at  once  remedied  all  defects  in 
the  linchpins.  But  Major  Jackson's  mind  was  not  con- 
stituted that  way. 

Soon  after  his  appointment,  lack  of  harmony  de- 
veloped between  Major  Jackson  and  the  Superin- 
tendent. It  was  said  Major  Jackson  would  have  little 
to  do  with  his  superior  officer,  except  in  an  official  way. 
"Professors  were  required  under  the  regulations  to 
make  their  weekly  reports  to  the  Superintendent  at  four 
o'clock  Friday  afternoon.  It  was  told  of  'Old  Jack' 
that  Friday  afternoon,  within  a  few  minutes  of  four 
o'clock,  he  would  appear  in  front  of  the  Superin- 
tendent's office,  and  walk  up  and  down,  until  the  clock 
struck  four.  It  made  no  difference  whether  it  was  rain- 
ing, haihng,  snowing,  or  freezing,  he  would  not  enter 
until  the  clock  struck;  then,  with  military  precision,  he 
would  advance  to  the  office  of  the  Superintendent,  sa- 
lute, lay  his  report  upon  the  table,  face  about,  and  walk 
out.  It  was  also  related  that  during  the  recitations  he 
was  frequently  occupied  in  rubbing  one  side  of  himself, 


90  The  Military  History  of 

under  the  impression  (confided  to  a  select  few)  that 
one  side  of  his  body  was  not  so  well  nourished  as  the 
other,  and  was  gradually  wasting  away." 

The  writer  of  this  interesting  account  does  not  him- 
self vouch  for  the  truth  of  the  reports  he  recounts,  and 
they  may  have  all  been  greatly  exaggerated,  and  very 
likely  were;  but  the  fact  remains,  that  the  general  im- 
pression was  according  to  the  current  rumor  or  gossip, 
and  we  readily  understand  why  the  cadets  dubbed  a 
man  but  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  "Old  Jack",  "Old 
Tom  Jackson",  and  "Fool  Tom  Jackson". 

With  Gilham  as  Commandant,  and  Jackson  as  In- 
structor of  Ordnance  and  Artillery  Tactics,  the  military 
instruction  of  the  School  progressed  with  the  utmost 
success;  but  Gilham  was  the  disciplinarian  and  the 
champion  of  the  military  ideals  of  the  Institute.  He 
was  regarded  by  many  as  a  veritable  martinet,  was  dis- 
liked by  those  who  shirked  their  duty  and  felt  the  iron 
of  his  hand,  admired  intensely  by  his  associate  officers 
and  the  great  majority  of  the  Corps,  and  respected  by 
all.  When  the  Superintendent, — a  kindly,  gentle  man, 
thoroughly  imbued  with  the  principles  of  discipline,  but, 
occasionally,  through  what  he  deemed  to  be  policy, 
inclined  to  overlook  in  a  spirit  of  paternalism,  breaches 
of  discipline, —  it  was  Major  Gilham,  the  Commandant, 
who  opposed  these  tendencies  to  depart  from  the  strict 
requirements  of  duty.  At  times,  of  course,  the  Com- 
mandant was  too  exacting ;  for,  thrown  into  contact  with 
cadets  only  in  his  military  capacity,  he  dealt  with  them 
as  men  with  men's  responsibilities,  and  treated  them 
accordingly.  He  rightly  perceived  that  it  was  not  the 
academic  excellence  of  the  Institute  upon  which  its  suc- 
cess depended ;  for  he  knew  that  many  other  institutions 
of  learning  afforded  a  higher  and  more  elaborate  course 
of  instruction.  He  miderstood  that  it  was  the  military, 
or  characteristic,  feature  of  the  Institute  that  must  be 
preserved,  and  maintained  at  the  highest  standard  of 
efficiencj^;  and  that  just  in  so  far  as  the  fundamental 
conception  of  the   School  was   ignored   and  departed 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  91 

from,  to  that  extent  was  its  power  of  usefulness  sacri- 
ficed. In  such  a  behef  it  was  that  he  demanded  of  cadets 
the  most  conscientious  and  thorough  attention  to  mih- 
tary  duty;  and  when  one  of  them  proved  remiss  and 
failed  to  respond  to  reasonable  measures  of  correction, 
he  took  the  stand  that  the  Institute  was  not  a  reforma- 
tory, and  that  however  hard  the  penalty  of  dismissal 
might  be  upon  the  incorrigible  cadet,  and  his  parents, 
the  general  interest  should  not  be  sacrificed  in  a  spirit 
of  mistaken  leniency  to  the  individual. 

It  is  needless  here  to  add  that  Gilliam's  views  were 
the  only  practicable  ones  for  a  Commandant  of  Cadets. 
Entertaining  any  other  views,  one,  responsible  for  the 
discipline  of  a  large  body  of  young  men,  is  destined  to 
meet  with  inevitable  failure.  There  is  no  mid  course  be- 
tween discipline  and  indiscipline;  nor  can  discipline  be 
compromised  with  in  the  interest  of  an  individual  where 
the  control  of  many  is  involved.  Soldiers,  and  especially 
cadets,  are  invariably  happier  and  more  content  under 
a  system  of  rigid  exaction  of  duty,  which  is  specific  in 
its  demands  and  prompt  and  impartial  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  justice.  They  do  not  weigh  the  penalty, 
or  rebel,  however  severe  the  penalty  may  be,  if  only 
it  be  assigned  with  firmness  and  impartiality.  No  pun- 
ishment can  be  inflicted,  however,  without  serious  con- 
sequences, unless  at  least  these  two  requisites  are 
present. 

From  the  foregoing,  it  must  not  be  inferred  that  the 
Superintendent  overlooked  the  requirements  of  disci- 
pline. He  merely  found  it  difficult  on  occasions  to  ex- 
act the  full  recompense  from  the  youthful  offender. 
This  was  natural.  Men  either  grow  more  lenient  or 
more  tyrannical  with  increasing  years.  General  Smitli 
was  never  a  tyrant.  At  times  he  did  fail  to  perceive 
that  in  a  military  body  where  failure  to  do  appointed 
tasks  tends  to  lower  the  general  standard  of  efficiency 
penalties  lose  much  of  their  character  as  individual 
punishments,  and  become  stimulants  as  well  as 
restraints. 


92  The  Military  History  of 

At  this  point,  it  may  be  well  to  advert  at  some  length 
to  the  view  of  discipline,  which  has  in  the  main  pre- 
vailed at  the  Institute  and  upon  which  so  much  of  its 
success  as  a  school  of  arms  has  been  based. 

From  the  first,  it  was  perceived  that  discipline  con- 
sists of  more  than  a  code  of  regulations,  devised  and 
promulgated  to  order  the  conduct  of  those  subject 
thereto,  but  that  it  consists  of  such  a  code  coupled  with 
a  consistent,  firm,  prompt,  and  unvarying  system  of 
enforcement.  At  the  Institute  the  system  of  enforce- 
ment was  based  not  upon  physical  compulsion,  but  upon 
mental  compulsion  through  fear  of  the  exaction  of  a 
prescribed  penalty  for  any  violation  of  the  code  of 
regulations. 

Discipline  becomes  effective  just  to  the  extent  that 
adherence  to  the  regulations  is  compelled,  and  when 
the  penalty  system  of  compulsion  is  in  effect,  adherence 
to  the  rules  of  discipline  will  be  found  according  to  the 
degree  of  rigidity  with  which  the  penalty  prescribed  for 
a  violation  is  exacted.  Discipline,  however,  is  not  to  be 
gauged  by  the  penalties  exacted,  for  penalties  when  ex- 
cessive are  conclusive  of  undue  disregard  of  regulations. 
In  other  words,  good  conduct  can  not  be  argued  from 
the  recompense  demanded  for  bad  conduct. 

But  there  are  other  means  available  for  the  disci- 
plinarian than  the  penalty  system  of  enforcement  which 
may  be  employed  in  conjunction  with  such  a  system. 
Careful  instruction,  appeal  to  pride,  reward  for  the 
faithful  and  efficient  discharge  of  duty — all  these  must 
serve  to  induce  adherence  to  the  established  rules.  Be- 
hind them,  however,  must  stand  the  ever-present  know- 
ledge that  a  violation  of  those  rules  will  be  attended  with 
a  penalty  of  such  character  as  to  make  the  violation 
unprofitable. 

Military  discipline  rigidly  enforced  may  as  a  system 
be  likened  to  the  law  of  contract.  A  contract  is  volun- 
tarily entered  into.  While  it  can  not  be  broken  to  the 
advantage  of  the  one  who  disregards  his  obligations 
thereunder  without  incurring  damages,  yet  the  bonds 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  93 

can  not  be  oppressive.  The  unmilitary  mind  too  often 
fails  to  perceive  this  analogy.  It  comprehends  that  the 
granting  of  damages  to  the  party  whose  contract  rights 
are  violated  is  but  a  protection  to  society,  and  that  it 
is  not  in  the  nature  of  a  mere  punislmient  to  the  of- 
fender. But  it  can  not  grasp  the  fact  that  a  military 
penalty  is  not  a  pimishment  but  a  means  of  protecting 
the  military  society  and  enforcing  that  general  co- 
operation upon  which  the  safety  of  the  military  unit, 
large  or  small,  depends.  To  weaken  the  guarantee  of 
protection  in  either  case  by  failing  to  exact  the  damages 
in  the  first,  and  the  penalty  in  the  last,  for  any  indi- 
\ddual  violation  is  itself  an  act  which  disregards  the 
right  of  the  many  for  the  benefit  of  one. 

The  foregoing  idea  of  discipline  was  fundamental  in 
the  military  system  of  the  Institute,  where  the  individ- 
ual interest  was  never  allowed  under  the  regime  of 
Gilham,  and  later  on  under  Shipp,  to  rise  superior  to 
that  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets  as  a  military  unit.  Neither 
of  these  eminently  forceful  and  preeminently  successful 
Commandants  regarded  a  penalty  as  a  punishment,  or 
in  the  crude  light  of  the  exaction  of  recompense — "an 
eye  for  an  eye."  They  did  not  relish  the  duty  of  in- 
flicting penalties,  and  by  constant  effect  and  patient  in- 
struction sought  to  prevent  the  necessity  from  arising; 
yet  when  it  did  arise,  they  never  allowed  the  kindness 
of  their  hearts  to  mislead  them  into  encouraging  the 
repetition  of  offenses  by  adopting  an  attitude  of  mis- 
taken leniency.  They  knew  that  kindness  of  heart  like 
charity  is  dangerous  in  some  cases,  and  in  them  does 
more  harm  than  good.  Their  views  prevailed  and  the 
result  was  that  under  them  the  correct  ideas  of  discipline 
were  inculcated  in  the  Corps  of  Cadets. 

Under  the  wise  administration  of  affairs  by  the  Super- 
intendent, and  the  firm  command  of  the  Corps  of 
Cadets  by  Gilliam,  the  Institute  flourished,  surpassing 
the  most  sanguine  expectations.  Before  1860,  the  new 
barracks,  and  many  other  buildings,  had  been  erected, 
at  a  total  expense  to  the  State  of  $151,000;  the  more 


^4  The  Military  History  or 

essential  improvements  were  effected  between  I80O  and 
1855. 

The  Snperintendent  had  laid  great  stress  before  the 
Legislature  on  the  fact  that  in  building  up  the  Institute 
the  State  was  not  only  fostering  its  educational  and 
industrial  development,  but  at  the  same  time  was  pro- 
viding for  its  defense  in  the  event  of  war;  and,  as  the 
imminence  of  sectional  strife  became  more  apparent, 
this  argimient  proved  more  and  more  availing. 

July  4,  1856,  Governor  Henry  A.  Wise,  always  an 
ardent  supporter  of  the  Institute,  dedicated  the  Wash- 
ington Monument  and  the  new  barracks,  and  in  a  mem- 
orable address,  emphasized  in  bold  terms  the  service 
which  Virginia's  School  of  Arms  was  destined  to  render 
the  State.  Expressing  his  pride,  as  Chief  Executive 
of  Virginia,  in  the  Institution,  he  pledged  his  support 
to  it  in  every  reasonable  way.  His  subsequent  record 
shows  that  he  fully  discharged  that  promise. 

The  favorable  opinion  of  the  people  at  this  time,  but 
expressed  by  the  Governor,  insured  the  successful  prog- 
ress of  the  Institute.  They  now  attached  to  it  a  value 
which  they  had  failed  to  perceive  until  the  chariots  of 
Mars  began  to  rumble.  Hitherto,  they  had  in  large 
measure  regarded  the  Institute  as  a  dedication  to  the 
violent,  lustful  son  of  Jove.  Now,  they  miderstood  its 
true  character,  and  saw  that  the  conception  of  Crozet 
and  Smith,  and  those  others  who  had  been  active  in 
the  furtherance  of  their  designs,  had  not  merely  raised 
a  monument  to  Mars,  but  one  to  the  peace-loving, 
though  war-like,  Minerva.  And  with  this  broad  grasp 
of  the  situation,  however  tardy,  the  Legislature  was 
just  preparing  to  make  possible  the  wide  extension  of 
the  field  of  usefulness  of  the  Institute,  when  war 
intervened. 

The  Washington  Monument  in  Richmond  was  not 
completed  for  many  years  after  the  laying  of  the  cor- 
ner-stone; but,  at  last,  February  22,  1858,  the  one 
hundred  and  twenty-sixth  anniversary  of  the  birth  of 
the  Immortal  Patriot,  was  appointed  as  the  daj^  for  the 
unveiling  of  the  statue. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  9o 

Governor  Wise  ordered  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  now 
about  150  strong,  to  attend  the  ceremonies  as  his  escort 
of  honor;  and  in  due  time  the  BattaHon  of  four  com- 
panies and  a  section  of  the  battery,  in  command  of 
Majors  Gilham  and  Jackson,  respectively,  were  em- 
barked aboard  canal  boats  for  Richmond,  where  the 
cadets  were  quartered  in  the  Lyceum. 

The  people  had  not  yet  forgotten  the  appearance  of 
the  Corps  in  the  Capital  eight  years  before,  and  wel- 
comed the  cadets  with  open  arms. 

"The  appearance  of  the  Corps  on  this  occasion,  the 
first  on  which  I  ever  saw  it,"  wrote  a  distinguished 
author,  "was  sufficient  to  excite  the  wildest  enthusiasm 
of  a  small  boy,  such  as  I  was  at  the  time.  Never  be- 
fore had  I  seen  such  trim,  alert  figures;  such  clean, 
saucy-looking  uniforms ;  such  machine-like  precision  and 
quickness  of  drill ;  such  silence  and  obedience.  From  the 
first  day  my  eye  rested  on  the  Cadet  Corps,  my  ambition 
was  to  be  a  cadet. 

•  ••••••• 

"The  only  thing  about  this  fine  body  that  struck  me 
as  in  any  way  lacking  in  soldierly  appearance  was  the 
Commandant  of  the  battery.  He  was  not  my  ideal  of 
a  soldier,  either  in  military  bearing,  or  in  the  manner  in 
which  he  gave  his  commands.  His  uniform  was  not 
new :  his  old  blue  forage  cap  sat  on  the  back  of  his  head ; 
and  he  stood  like  a  horse  'sprung'  in  the  knees.  His 
commands  were  given  in  a  piping,  whining  tone,  and  he 
appeared  to  be  deeply  intent  on  his  business,  without 
paying  much  regard  to  the  onlookers.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  officer  commanding  the  battalion  of  infantry 
was  the  model  of  a  martinet.  He  was  petite,  quick  as 
a  lizard,  straight  as  a  ramrod,  and  his  commands  were 
given  like  the  crack  of  a  whiplash.  I  thought  him  a 
perfect  commanding  officer. 

•  ••••••• 

"When  the  parade  was  dismissed,  on  hiquiring  about 
the  officers,  I  learned  that  the  odd-looking  Commandant 


96  The  Militaey  History  of 

was  familiarly  called  'Old  Jack' ;  and  that  his  real  name 
was  Major  Jackson;  and  that  the  cadets  while  disposed 
to  make  light  of  him  for  his  eccentricities,  dare  not  trifle 
with  him.  As  to  the  other  officer,  Major  Gilham,  all 
agreed  that  he  was  the  best  drill-officer  and  tactician 
they  had,  and  that  he  was  superior  to  Major  Jackson."* 

"At  the  grand  reception  given  that  night  by  my 
Father,  the  Governor,  I  again  saw  both  these  officers, 
and  their  bearing  confirmed  me  in  my  judgment  that 
there  was  no  question  which  was  the  superior  soldier. 
Major  Jackson  was  plainly  dressed,  wore  coarse  shoes, 
had  a  weary  look  in  his  blue  eyes,  took  very  little  part 
in  conversation,  seemed  bored  by  the  entertainment, 
neither  ate  nor  drank,  and  after  paying  his  respects  to 
the  Governor,  and  to  General  Winfield  Scott,  Com- 
mander-in-Chief of  the  Armies  of  the  United  States, 
quietly  disappeared.  Major  Gilham,  on  the  other  hand, 
was  urbane,  ubiquitous,  and  remained  until  the  close  of 
the  entertainment. 

"In  after  years,  I  had  occasion  to  revise  my  opinion 
of  these  two  men,  for  Mujor  Jackson  was  none  other 
than  the  immortal  Stonewall." 

The  visit  of  the  Corps  to  Richmond  in  1858,  as  in 
1850,  was  productive  of  much  good.  It  not  only  ad- 
vertised the  military  worth  of  the  Institute  among  the 
people  of  Virginia,  but  also  among  a  host  of  visitors 
from  all  sections  of  the  country ;  and  this  aroused  in  the 
cadets  themselves  a  consciousness  of  their  superiority, 
which  constitutes  one  of  the  strongest  factors  of 
esprit  de  corps  in  a  mihtary  body.  The  reception  they 
received,  and  the  honors  again  thrust  upon  them,  made 
them  realize  that  much  was  expected  of  the  Virginia 
JNIilitary  Institute  as  the  Corps  Elite  of  the  South,  and 
the  opportunity  it  afforded  them  to  see  and  meet  the 
dignitaries  of  the  country,  including  such  eminent  sol- 
diers as  General  Winfield  Scott,  and  his  distinguished 

*The  writer's  memory  played  him  a  triclj  in  connection  with  this  interesting 
account.  Major  Jaclisoh  was  not  Commandant,  nor  was  he  in  Richmond  in 
1858.  It  was  the  following  year  that  he  accompanied  the  Corps  to  Richmond 
from  Harper's  Perry,  and  was  seen  by  the  writer ;  but  the  picture  is  a  good 
one. 


(  f M 


F^Pfii^r^pn    p  t  p  HI  »  y  ^^ 


•!•     '    :       r^     ztrLiii 


■ » ;  I  ; ;  I  ;  ;  i  ;  [  1 1 1 


COI.UXEL    JOHN    THOMAS    LEWIS    PRESTON 

Professor  1839-1876,  1878-1882 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  97 

staff  officers,  aroused  a  sense  of  the  dignity  of  their 
status. 

The  influence  of  such  incidents  in  the  hfe  of  a  vouns 
soldier  can  not  be  overestimated.  Youthful  impressions, 
always  the  strongest,  are  also  the  most  lasting,  and  the 
contact  of  the  cadets  with  Zachary  Taylor,  "Old  Fuss 
and  Feathers",  and  many  other  great  men  of  the  age, 
laid  the  foundation  of  traditions  which  grow  greener 
with  time. 

The  next  great  military  pageant  of  the  State  was 
held  on  the  occasion  of  the  removal  of  the  remains  of 
President  Monroe  from  New  York  to  Richmond,  in 
July,  1858.  On  this  occasion  almost  the  entire  military 
establishment  of  the  State  turned  out,  and  the  famous 
Seventh  New  York  Regiment  escorted  the  body  by  boat 
from  New  York  to  Richmond.  But  the  Corps,  being  on 
furlough,  did  not  attend,  and  took  no  part  in  the 
brilliant  ceremonies.  The  gallant  "Seventh",  therefore, 
captured  the  military  honors  of  the  day,  and,  it  has  even 
been  said,  fixed  in  the  minds  of  the  Virginians  the  color 
of  the  uniform  afterwards  adopted  by  the  Confederacy. 
But  this  it  not  true.  Long  ere  the  New  York  troops 
made  their  appearance  in  Richmond,  the  South  was 
familiar  with  the  Cadet  gray  of  West  Point  and  the 
Institute. 

It  was  at  this  time,  that  Major  Gilham  strongly  urged 
the  extension  of  the  military  instruction  of  the  Institute 
to  include  practical  cavalry  and  light  artillery  drill  with 
horses.  It  had  been  for  years  the  desire  of  the  Board 
to  provide  for  such  instruction ;  and,  now  that  graduates 
of  the  Institute  were  being  eagerly  sought  and  relied 
upon  for  the  re-organization  of  the  militia,  the  need  of 
more  general  instruction  seemed  all  the  more  pressing. 

Major  Gilham's  plan  embraced  the  procuring  of  30 
horses  which  he  declared  parents  would  provide,  and, 
furthermore,  he  stated  that  certain  citizens  of  Lexington 
would  donate  others.  The  cost  of  hauling  for  the 
Institute  he  estimated  at  $1,800.00  per  annum.  This 
work  could  be  done  by  the  cavaby  and  artillery  horses. 


98  The  Military  History  of 

Should  they  be  provided  they  could  actually  be  kept 
for  the  amount  saved.  By  increasing  the  annual  charge 
against  each  cadet  $15.00  until  the  State  made  adequate 
provision,  mounted  instruction  could  be  given  the 
Second  Class,  and  every  graduate  would  go  forth 
thoroughly  trained  in  the  three  branches,  instead  of  in 
infantry  tactics,  and  the  theory  of  gunnery  alone.  But 
Gilliam's  wise  plan  has  never  yet  been  adopted  in  spite 
of  the  constant  efforts  of  successive  Commandants. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  99 


CHAPTER  VI 

chair   of   strategy   created THE   EXECUTION   OF 

JOHN  BROWN 

During  the  period  immediately  subsequent  to  1855, 
the  friction  between  the  two  sections  over  slavery  ques- 
tions increased  at  an  alarming  rate.  "The  declamation 
against  disunion,  and  the  mutual  j^ledges  of  fraternal 
love  between  North  and  South,  which  attended  th^  ban- 
quet to  the  Seventh  New  York  Regiment  in  Richmond, 
arose  in  great  part  from  a  knowledge  of  sectional  feel- 
ing, threats  of  disunion,  and  of  partisan  recriminations 
between  politicians,  but  too  familiar  to  all  who  spoke." 
Mere  pledges  of  fraternity  between  their  soldiery  could 
not  blind  the  eyes  of  the  people  of  either  New  York  or 
Virginia  to  the  crisis  that  was  impending. 

Never  for  an  instant  had  the  necessity  for  prepared- 
ness been  overlooked  at  the  Institute,  and  with  increas- 
ing numbers  and  demands  for  entrance,  came  enlarge- 
ments of  the  Faculty  and  the  facilities  for  instruction. 

The  unprecedented  success  of  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute  by  no  means  turned  the  heads  of  those  at  the 
helm  whose  motto  had  been  "Progress".  Availing  them- 
selves of  the  best  this  country  had  to  offer,  it  was  now 
proposed  by  them  to  send  Colonel  Smith  to  Europe  to 
study  the  methods  of  the  best  military  and  scientific  in- 
stitutions of  the  old  world.  Accordingly,  fully  ac- 
credited by  the  Board  of  Visitors  and  the  Governor  of 
Virginia,  he  sailed  from  New  York  June  9,  1858,  with 
three  graduates  of  the  Institute,  returning  the  last  of 
December,  following.  During  his  investigations  which 
extended  over  a  period  of  nearly  five  months,  he  visited 
every  one  of  the  principal  military  schools  of  England, 
France,  and  Germany,  and  procured  a  mass  of  infor- 
mation, more  valuable  in  the  academic  development  of 


100  The  Military  History  of 

the  School,  than  with  respect  to  its  mihtary  organiza- 
tion. It  was  by  reason  of  the  knowledge  the  Superin- 
tendent gained  abroad,  however,  that  a  notable  innova- 
tion in  military  instruction  in  this  country  was 
inaugurated. 

In  1854,  Captain  Raleigh  E.  Colston,  V.  M.  I., 
1846,  Assistant  Professor,  had  been  appointed  Pro- 
fessor of  a  new  chair  of  French,  History,  and  Political 
Economy,  with  rank  of  major.  A  Chair  of  Military 
Strategy  was  now  created,  and  Major  Colston  was  as- 
signed to  fill  it.  This  was,  as  far  as  the  writer  can 
determine,  the  first  chair  of  the  kind  created  in  any 
institution  of  learning  in  America,  and  no  such  ad- 
vanced instruction  in  the  military  science  existed  else- 
where, even  at  the  United  States  Military  Academy. 

In  this  new  work.  Major  Colston  displayed  the  most 
marked  ability,  giving  many  evidences  of  that  know- 
ledge of  the  theory  of  war,  which  enabled  him  to  attain 
high  distinction  as  a  brigadier-general  of  the  Confeder- 
acy, and  later  to  become  the  military  adviser  of  the 
Khedive  of  Egypt  whose  army  he  reorganized  after  the 
War  between  the  States. 

Among  the  military  men  who  served  on  the  Board  of 
Visitors  during  this  period,  besides  those  already 
mentioned,  were  General  Francis  M.  Boykin,  Colonel 
Wilham  B.  Taliaferro,  Colonel  Samuel  F.  Hays,  Major 
Samuel  V.  Fulkerson,  Colonel  Benjamin  Rush  Floyd, 
Colonel  Augustine  J.  Smith,  Colonel  James  L.  Kemper, 
Colonel  A.  Hughes  Dillard,  Colonel  James  H.  Paxton, 
Colonel  Samuel  Downing,  and  Captain  S.  B.  Gibbons. 
Colonel  Taliaferro  became  the  senior  military  officer  of 
Virginia  before  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  with  rank  of 
Major-General,  Virginia  Volunteers. 

In  1858,  Captain  Stapleton  Crutchfield,  V.  M.  I., 
1855,  was  appointed  Adjunct  Professor  of  Mathe- 
matics. Up  to  the  time  of  their  promotion,  both  Colston 
and  Crutchfield  had  served  at  the  Institute  as  tactical 
officers. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  101 

To  the  high  character  of  the  suh-faciilty  and  tactical 
officers  of  the  Institute  much  of  the  efficiency  of  the 
Corps  has  always  been  due,  a  fact  that  is  readily 
understood  by  one  familiar  with  the  importance  of  an 
able  staff. 

Upon  the  tactical  staff  of  Major  Gilham,  during  the 
fifteen  years  previous  to  the  war,  were  to  be  found  many 
young  officers  afterwards  prominent  in  the  military  ser- 
vice of  the  Confederacy.  A  list  of  the  tactical  officers 
during  that  period,  with  the  positions  attained  by  them 
in  the  service,  or  in  civil  life,  is  here  given. 

J.  Q.  Marr,  1846;  member  Secession  Convention,  1861; 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Virginia  Infantry,  C.  S.  A. ;    killed  in  battle. 

M.  E.  Colston,  1846;    Brigadier-General,  C.  S.  A. 

R.  E.  Rodes,  1848;    Major-General,  C.  S.  A.;   killed  in  battle. 

J.  S.  Gamble,  1848;    Principal  Norfolk  Academy;    died  in  1857. 

James  W.  Massie,  1849;  Lieutenant-Colonel  51st  Va.  Reg., 
C.  S.  A. 

James  W.  Allen,  1849;  Colonel  2nd  Va.  Reg.,  C.  S.  A.;  killed 
in  battle. 

Wm.  D.  Stuart,  1850;  Colonel  56th  Va.  Reg.,  C.  S.  A.;  killed 
in  battle. 

W.  W.  Gordon,  1850;    Colonel  27th  Va.  Reg.,  C.  S.  A. 

Daniel  Trueheart,  1850;  Major  and  Chief  of  Artillery,  C.  S.  A., 
Jackson's  Corps. 

Thomas  A.  Harris,  1851 ;   Major  and  Surgeon,  C.  S.  A. 

Henry  A.  Whiting,  1852;  Major  and  Inspector  General  Rodes's 
Staff,  C.  S.  A. 

G.  H.  Smith,  1853;    Colonel  62d  Va.  Reg.,  C.  S.  A. 

E.  V.   Bargamin,    1855;    Physician;    died  in  France,   1860. 
W.  T.  Patton,  1855;    Colonel  7th  Va.  Reg.,  C.  S.  A.;    killed  in 

battle. 

L.  B.  Williams,  1855;  Colonel  1st  Va.  Reg.,  C.  S.  A.;  killed  in 
battle. 

F.  W.  Smith,  1856;  Lieutenant-Colonel  Artillery,  C.  S.  A.; 
killed  in  battle. 

J.  H.  Lane,  1856;    Brigadier-General,  C.  S.  A. 

P.  B.  Stanard,  1856;    Major  of  Ordnance,  C.  S.  A. 

G.  M.  Edgar,  1856;    Lieutenant-Colonel  26th  Va.  Reg.,  C.  S.  A. 
John  McCausland,  1857;    Brigadier-General,  C.  S.  A. 

B.  F.  Stewart,  1857;    Captain,  C.  S.  A.;    killed  in  battle. 
P.  P.  Slaughter,  1857;    Colonel  56th  Va.  Reg.,  C.  S.  A. 
R.  M.  Mayo,  1857;    Colonel  47th  Va.  Reg.,  C.  S.  A. 
W.  H.  Otey,  1859;    Captain  Cavalry,  C.  S.  A. 


102  The  Military  History  of 

J.  H.  Chenoweth,  1859;  Major  31st  Va.  Reg.,  C.  S.  A.;  killed 
in  battle. 

J.  D.  H.  Ross,  1859;   Lieutenant-Colonel  52d  Va.  Reg.,  C.  S.  A. 

Scott  Shipp,  1859;    Lieutenant-Colonel  21st  Va.  Reg.,  C.  S.  A. 

J.  G.  Miller,  1860;  Lieutenant,  C.  S.  A.;  Professor  Baltimore 
City  College. 

A.  S.  Scott,  1860;    Captain  Cavalry,  C.  S.  A. 

Edward  Cunningham,  Jr.,  1860;    Major  Engineers,  C.  S.  A. 

Thomas  M.  Semmes,  1860;  Lieutenant  and  Adjutant  Arkansas 
Infantry,  C.  S.  A. 

Marshall  McDonald,  1860;  Captain  Infantry,  C.  S.  A.;  first 
U.  S.  Fish  Commissioner. 

William  A.  Smith,  1861;  Captain  and  Assistant  Adjutant-Gen- 
eral, C.  S.  A. 

One  can  not  fail  to  be  impressed  by  such  a  record. 
In  this  hst  of  33  tactical  officers  of  the  Institute,  in  a 
period  of  fifteen  years,  there  are  numbered  1  Major- 
General,  3  Brigadier- Generals,  8  Colonels,  6  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonels, 6  Majors,  5  Captains,  and  2  Lieu- 
tenants. There  are  but  two  civilians,  who  both  died 
before  the  war — one  a  physician  and  one  a  college  pro- 
fessor. Nine  of  the  number  were  killed  in  battle,  and 
one  was  a  member  of  the  Secession  Convention,  and  one 
the  first  Fish  Commissioner  of  the  L^nited  States,  after 
the  war. 

In  the  Bill  of  Rights  of  Virginia,  George  Mason 
wrote:  "A  well  regulated  militia  composed  of  the  body 
of  the  people,  trained  to  arms,  is  the  proper,  natural, 
and  safe  defense  of  a  free  State."  Recognizing  that 
great  truth  the  Legislature  of  18.57-8  undertook,  at 
the  instance  of  the  people,  to  reorganize  the  militia 
which  had  been  practically  disbanded.  Immediately  the 
graduates  of  the  Institute  were  called  into  service  to 
assist  in  the  work  and  as  Inspectors,  especially,  greatly 
aided  the  Adjutant-General;  but  it  took  time  to  create 
more  than  a  skeleton  organization  in  a  State  where  little 
attention  had  been  paid  to  the  military  establishment 
for  four  decades  or  more. 

Hardly  had  the  movement  to  regenerate  the  citizen 
soldiery  gotten  under  way,  when  an  incident  portentous 
of  the  future  occurred,  and  one  upon  which  the  writer 
is  able  to  throw  very  little  light.     It  maj^  be  that  sub-^ 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  103 

sequent  research  among  the  archives  of  the  State  will 
disclose  more  facts  than  can  now  be  given.  At  any 
rate  it  is  a  well  established  fact  that  in  the  fall  of  1858, 
secret  orders  were  received  by  the  Superintendent  to 
double  the  guard  at  the  Institute  for  the  protection  of 
the  Arsenal  and  to  issue  ball  cartridges  to  the  cadets. 
The  Governor,  it  seems,  had  information  of  a  plot  for 
the  arming  of  a  number  of  negroes  at  the  Pewe  Iron 
Works  near  Lexington,  and  the  seizure  of  the  arms  in 
the  Arsenal  with  which  to  start  a  servile  insurrection 
among  the  slaves  in  Virginia.* 

The  Governor's  orders  were  strictly  carried  out,  but 
no  uprising  occurred.  The  supposed  plan  was  almost 
identical  with  the  one  which  John  Brown  sought  to 
execute  the  following  year,  and  it  may  be  the  Governor's 
alarm  was  not  without  foundation. 

In  the  fall  of  1859  an  event  transpired  which  may  be 
assigned  as  a  prelusive  incident  of  the  War  between  the 
States,  for  from  the  time  of  its  occurrence  even  the 
most  conservative  people  of  the  South  began  to  prepare 
for  the  conflict. 

On  the  night  of  Sunday,  October  16,  1859,  John 
Brown,  the  arch-abolitionist,  advanced  with  a  party  of 
twenty-two  men  upon  Harper's  Feriy,  Virginia,  and 
seized  the  United  States  Armory  and  Arsenal  estab- 
lished there.  Throughout  the  next  day,  he  held  posses- 
sion of  the  town,  and  committed  the  most  atrocious  acts 
of  murder  and  destruction.  It  was  his  expectation  that 
the  negro  slaves  of  the  section,  among  whom  his  emis- 
saries had  been  active  for  many  months,  would  rise  en 
inasse  and  massacre  the  white  population;  but  not  one 
joined  his  force. 

It  was  the  afternoon  of  the  17th,  when  intelligence 
of  the  event  reached  Richmond ;  and,  within  ten  minutes 
after  its  receipt.  Governor  Wise  had  ordered  Colonel 
John  Thomas  Gibson,  of  Charles  Town,  commanding 
the  militia  regiment  of  the  Harper's  Ferry  District,  to 
mobilize  his  regiment.     Similar  instructions  were  tele- 

*Letter  of  M.  C.  Ellzey,  V.  M.  I.,  I860,  to  Col.  .Tos.  R.  Andorson,  Historiog- 
rapher. 


104  The  Military  History  of 

graphed  Colonel  Robert  W.  Baylor,  of  the  Third  Regi- 
ment of  Militia  Cavalry. 

The  military  system  of  the  State  was  still  utterly  in- 
efficient, having  nothing  but  a  skeleton  organization. 
Regiments  were  organized  on  paper,  by  districts,  and 
only  the  few  companies  in  the  larger  towns  had  yet  been 
actually  recruited  and  armed.  The  volunteer  company 
of  Charles  Town,  however,  had  assembled  at  the  first 
notice  of  the  invasion,  and,  by  prompt  action,  had  cut  off 
Brown's  expected  reinforcements,  and  prevented  his 
escape. 

A  number  of  companies  of  the  First  Virginia  Regi- 
ment, stationed  in  Richmond,  left  that  city  Monday 
night  on  an  hour's  notice,  for  Washington,  en  route  to 
the  scene  of  the  trouble,  but,  upon  arriving  there, 
learned  that  a  body  of  United  States  Marines,  imder  the 
command  of  Colonel  Robert  E.  Lee,  had  proceeded  to 
Harper's  Ferry,  and  on  Tuesday  morning  had  battered 
doMai  the  doors  of  the  Engine  House  in  which  Brown 
and  his  followers  had  barricaded  themselves  against  the 
militia  force,  and  had  captured  the  murderers,  along 
with  their  chief. 

It  was  one  o'clock  p.  m.^  when  the  Governor,  with  the 
troops  from  Richmond,  arrived  at  Harper's  Ferry.  He 
immediately  ordered  the  prisoners  to  be  incarcerated 
in  Charles  Town,  and  established  a  force  there  as  a 
guard. 

The  general  public  in  and  around  Harper's  Ferry 
was  in  no  condition  to  give  quarter  to  Brown,  or  any 
of  his  men ;  still,  it  is  most  creditable  to  Virginia  that  the 
infuriated  people  were  willing  to  let  the  law  take  its 
course  with  the  assassins  who  had  assailed  them  while 
in  their  beds,  and  sought  to  instigate  servile  insurrection 
in  their  midst.  They  had  absolute  confidence  in  the 
ability  of  Captain  John  Avis  to  hold  them  in  jail,  es- 
pecially when  aided  by  the  militia,  and  knew  that  a 
speedy  trial  would  result. 

The  people  were  not  idle,  however,  while  they  awaited 
the  trial.    Rumors  of  all  kinds  were  rife.    There  was  a 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  105 

general  belief  that  Brown  would  never  have  undertaken 
so  perilous  and  impossible  a  task  without  assurance  of 
reinforcements,  either  of  organized  slaves,  or  aboh- 
tionists  from  the  North;  and  the  belief  that  a  rescue 
would  be  attempted  was  well-nigh  universal.  Brown 
himself  expected  to  be  rescued. 

These  conditions  caused  the  citizens  to  arm  them- 
selves, and  the  Governor  to  keep  the  State  troops  con- 
stantly in  readiness,  and  a  part  of  them  actually  on 
guard  in  Charles  Town;  so  that  from  the  time  of 
Brown's  capture  the  town  had  the  appearance  of  a  mili- 
tary camp. 

The  preliminary  examination  was  held  October  25, 
1857.  The  early  morning  found  the  Court-house  safe 
from  any  attempt  to  release  the  prisoners.  Cannon 
were  posted  before  it,  and  every  approach  was  guarded 
by  the  troops.  Brown's  counsel  had  not  then  been 
selected  by  him;  so  Colonel  Davenport,  the  presiding 
justice  assigned  Hon.  Chas.  J.  Faulkner,  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  Visitors  of  the  Institute  from  1848  to  1851, 
and  Lawson  Botts,  Esq.,  an  eleve  of  the  Institute,  as 
temporary  counsel  for  the  defense.*  The  next  day,  the 
Grand  Jury  returned  a  true  bill  against  the  prisoners 
for  treason,  advising  and  conspiring  with  slaves  and 
others  to  rebel,  and  for  murder, — each  offense  punish- 
able with  death. 

The  trial  proceeded  without  delay.  Until  the  fourth 
day  of  the  trial.  Brown  was  represented  by  Messrs. 
Green,  Botts,  and  Hoyt;  but  on  the  29th  of  October, 
Messrs.  Chilton  and  Griswold,  eminent  counsel  from  the 
North,  selected  by  Brown's  friends,  appeared  and  con- 
ducted the  defense.  The  Court  adjourned  that  day  un- 
til Monday,  the  31st,  when  a  verdict  in  the  following 
words  was  returned:  "We,  the  jury,  find  the  defendant, 
John  Brown,  the  prisoner  at  the  bar,  guilty  of  treason, 
advising  and  conspiring  with  slaves  and  others  to  rebel, 
and  for  murder  in  the  first  degree."  "Signed  by  J.  C. 
Wiltshire,  Foreman." 

*Mr.  Faulkner  declined  to  act  as  such,  and  Thomas  C.  Green  was  sub- 
stituted for   him. 


106  The  Military  History  of 

November  2d,  Brown  was  again  brought  into  Court, 
when  Judge  Parker  cahnly  sentenced  him  to  be  hanged 
on  the  2d  day  of  December,  1859,  by  the  Sheriff  of 
Jefferson  County,  "not  in  the  jail  yard,  but  at  such 
other  place  in  the  county,  convenient,  as  the  said  Sheriff 
might  select." 

Meantime,  the  Governor  not  only  held  the  militia 
already  there  on  guard,  but  directed  other  troops  to  as- 
semble at  Charles  Town  for  the  execution. 

One  may  well  imagine  the  interest  which  all  these 
proceedings  excited  in  Lexington.  The  cadets  magni- 
fied the  dangers  a  thousand-fold,  and  the  wildest  rumors 
were  current  at  the  Institute.  The  papers  from  the 
North  gave  long  accounts  of  the  sympathetic  feeling  for 
Brown  and  his  band  of  assassins  on  the  part  of  the 
abolitionists  in  that  quarter,  and  the  cadets  fully  be- 
lieved that  any  day  they  might  be  ordered  out  to  assist 
in  repelling  an  invasion. 

Orders  of  a  different  nature,  however,  soon  arrived. 
Major-General  William  B.  Taliaferro,  commanding 
the  Virginia  Volunteers,  formerly  President  of  the 
Board  of  Visitors,  was  directed  by  the  Governor  to 
mobilize  the  militia  at  Charles  Town;  and  the  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Institute  was  ordered  to  dispatch  a  de- 
tachment from  the  Corps  of  Cadets  to  that  point  as  the 
personal  escort  of  the  Governor.  Colonel  Smith  him- 
self was  designated  to  superintend  the  execution.  Thus, 
the  Institute  was  to  play  a  prominent  part  in  an  event 
of  great  national  moment,  the  effect  of  which  on  the 
Corps  can  hardly  be  hinted  at. 

The  Cadet  command  ordered  by  Colonel  Smith  to 
Charles  Town  late  in  November  consisted  of  a  detach- 
ment from  the  infantry  battalion  of  64  cadets  organized 
as  two  companies,  under  Major  Gilham,  with  Lieu- 
tenants McCausland,  Otey,  and  Shipp  comprising  the 
tactical  staff,  and  the  howitzer  section  manned  by  21 
cadets.  Major  Jackson  in  command,  and  Lieutenant 
Trueheart  attached.* 


♦Daniel  Trueheart  was  afterwards  Major  and  Chief  of  Artillery,  Army  of 
the  Valley,  Major-General  T.  J.  Jackson  commanding.  The  Corps  numbered 
161  cadets  in  1859-60. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  107 

Majors  Preston  and  Colston,  Major  E.  L.  Graham, 
Surgeon,  and  Captain  J.  T.  Gibbs,  Commissary  of  the 
Institute,  comprised  the  staff  of  Colonel  Smith. 

The  cadets  reached  Charles  Town  November  26th, 
via  Washington. 

The  best  account  of  the  execution  known  to  the  writer 
was  prepared,  the  evening  of  December  2d,  by  Major 
Preston,  and  it  is  here  given  practically  in  its  entirety, 
as  of  especial  interest  to  the  Institute : 

"The  execution  is  over;  we  have  just  returned  from 
the  fields,  and  I  have  sat  down  to  give  you  an  account 
of  it.  The  weather  was  very  favorable;  the  sky  was  a 
little  overcast,  with  a  gentle  haze  in  the  atmosphere  that 
softened,  without  obscuring,  the  magnificent  prospect 
afforded  here.  Between  eight  and  nine  o'clock,  the 
troops  began  to  put  themselves  in  motion  to  occupy  the 
positions  assigned  them  on  the  field,  as  designated  on 
the  plan  I  send  you.  To  Colonel  Smith  had  been  as- 
signed the  superintendence  of  the  execution,  and  he  and 
his  staff  were  the  only  mounted  officers  on  the  ground, 
until  the  JMajor-General  and  his  staff  appeared.  By 
one  o'clock  all  was  arranged ;  the  general  effect  was  im- 
posing, and,  at  the  same  time,  picturesque.  The  cadets 
were  immediately  in  rear  of  the  gallows,  a  howitzer  on 
the  right  and  left,  a  little  behind,  so  as  to  sweep  the 
field.  The  cadets  were  uniformed  in  red  flannel  shirts 
which  gave  them  a  gay,  dashing,  zouave  look,  and  were 
exceedingly  becoming,  especially  the  battery.  They 
were  flanked  obliquely  by  two  corps,  the  Richmond 
Grays  and  Company  F,  which,  inferior  in  appearance 
to  the  cadets,  were  superior  to  any  other  companies  I 
ever  saw  outside  of  the  regular  army.  Other  companies 
were  distributed  over  the  field,  amounting  in  all  to  about 
800  men.     The  military  force  was  about  1,500. 

"The  whole  enclosure  was  lined  by  cavalry  troops 
posted  as  sentinels,  with  their  officers — one  on  a  peerless 
black  horse,  and  another  on  a  remarkable-looking  wliite 
horse,  continually  dashing  round  the  enclosure.  Out- 
side this   enclosure,   were   other   companies,   acting   as 


108  The  Military  History  of 

rangers  and  scouts.  The  jail  was  guarded  by  several 
companies  of  infantry,  and  pieces  of  artillery  were  put 
in  position  for  its  defense. 

"Shortly  before  eleven  o'clock,  the  prisoner  was  taken 
from  the  jail,  and  the  funeral  cortege  was  put  in  motion. 
First,  came  three  companies,  then,  the  criminal's  wagon, 
drawn  by  two  large  white  horse.  John  Brown  was 
seated  on  his  coffin,  accompanied  by  the  sheriff  and  two 
other  persons.  The  wagon  drove  to  the  foot  of  the 
gallows,  and  Brown  descended  with  alacrity,  and  with- 
out assistance,  and  ascended  the  steep  steps  to  the  plat- 
form. His  demeanor  was  intrepid,  without  being 
braggart.  He  made  no  speech;  whether  he  desired  to 
make  one  or  not,  I  do  not  know.  Had  he  desired  it,  it 
would  not  have  been  permitted.  Any  speech  of  his 
must,  of  necessity,  have  been  unlawful,  and  as  being 
directed  against  the  peace  and  dignity  of  the  Common- 
wealth, and  as  such  could  not  be  allowed  by  those  who 
were  then  engaged  in  the  most  solemn  and  extreme 
vindication  of  law.  His  manner  was  without  trepida- 
tion, but  his  countenance  was  not  free  from  concern; 
and  it  seemed  to  me  to  have  a  little  cast  of  wildness.  He 
stood  upon  the  scaffold  but  a  short  time,  giving  brief 
adieus  to  those  about  him,  when  he  was  properly 
pinioned,  the  white  cap  dra^^l  over  his  face,  the  noose 
adjusted  and  attached  to  the  hook  above,  and  he  was 
moved  blindfold  a  few  steps  forward.  It  was  curious 
to  note  how  the  instincts  of  nature  operated  to  make 
him  careful  in  putting  out  his  feet  as  if  afraid  he  would 
walk  off  the  scaffold.  The  man  who  stood  unblanched 
on  the  brink  of  eternity  was  afraid  of  falling  a  few  feet 
to  the  ground! 

"He  was  now  all  ready.  The  sheriff  asked  him  if  he 
should  give  a  private  signal  before  the  fatal  moment. 
He  replied  in  a  voice  that  seemed  to  me  to  be  un- 
naturally natural,  so  composed  was  its  tone,  and  so 
distinct  its  articulation,  'that  it  did  not  matter  to  him, 
if  only  they  would  not  keep  him  too  long  waiting.'  He 
was  kept  waiting,  however.    The  troops  that  had  formed 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  109 

his  escort  had  to  be  put  into  their  position,  and  while 
this  was  going  on,  he  stood  for  some  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes  bhndfold,  the  rope  around  his  neck,  and  his 
feet  on  the  treacherous  platform,  expecting  instantly  the 
fatal  act.  But  he  stood  for  this  comparatively  long 
time  upright  as  a  soldier  in  position,  and  motionless.  I 
was  close  to  him  and  watched  him  narrowly  to  see  if  I 
could  perceive  any  signs  of  shrinking,  or  trembling,  in 
his  person,  but  there  was  none.  Once,  I  thought  I  saw 
his  knees  tremble,  but  it  was  only  the  wind  blowing  his 
loose  trousers.  His  firmness  was  subjected  to  still 
further  trial  by  hearing  Colonel  Smith  announce  to  the 
sheriff,  'We  are  all  ready,  Mr.  Campbell.'  The  sheriff 
did  not  hear,  or  did  not  comprehend;  and  in  a  louder 
tone  the  same  announcement  was  made.  But  the  culprit 
still  stood  steady  until  the  sheriff,  descending  the  flight 
of  steps,  with  a  well-directed  blow,  of  a  sharp  hatchet, 
severed  the  rope  that  held  up  the  trap  door,  which 
instantly  sank  sheer  beneath  him,  and  he  fell  about  three 
feet;  and  the  man  of  strong  and  bloody  hand,  of  fierce 
passions,  of  iron  will,  of  wonderful  vicissitudes,  the 
terrible  partisan  of  Kansas,  the  capturer  of  the  United 
States  Arsenal  at  Harper's  Ferry,  the  would-be  Cati- 
line of  the  South,  the  demi-god  of  the  abolitionists,  the 
man  execrated  and  lauded,  damned  and  prayed  for,  the 
man  who  in  his  motives,  his  means,  his  plans,  and  his 
successes,  must  ever  be  a  wonder,  a  puzzle,  and  a 
mystery, — John  Brown — was  hanging  between  heaven 
and  earth. 

"There  was  profound  stilhiess  during  the  time  his 
struggles  continued,  growing  feebler  and  feebler  at  each 
abortive  attempt  to  breathe.  His  knees  were  scarcely 
bent,  his  arms  were  drawn  up  to  a  right-angle  at  the 
elbow,  with  the  hands  clenched ;  but  there  was  no  writli- 
ing  of  the  body,  no  violent  heaving  of  the  chest.  At 
each  feebler  effort  at  respiration,  his  arms  sank  lower, 
and  his  legs  hung  more  relaxed,  until,  at  last,  straight 
and  lank  he  dangled,  swayed  to  and  fro  by  the  wind. 


110  The  Military  History  of 

"It  was  a  moment  of  deep  solemnity,  and  suggestive 
of  thoughts  that  make  the  bosom  swell.  The  field  of 
execution  was  a  rising  ground,  and  commanded  the  out- 
stretching Valley  from  mountain  to  mountain,  and  their 
still  grandeur  gave  sublimity  to  the  outline,  while  it  so 
chanced  that  white  clouds  resting  upon  them  gave  them 
the  appearance  that  reminded  more  than  one  of  us  of 
the  snow-peaks  of  the  Alps.  Before  was  the  greatest 
array  of  disciplined  forces  ever  seen  in  Virginia,  in- 
fantry, cavalry  and  artillery  combined,  composed  of  the 
old  Commonwealth's  noblest  sons,  and  commanded  by 
her  best  officers;  and  the  great  canopy  of  the  sky  over- 
arching all,  came  to  add  its  sublimity,  ever-present,  but 
only  realized  when  other  great  things  are  occurring 
beneath  each. 

"But  the  moral  of  the  scene  was  its  grand  point.  A 
sovereign  State  had  been  assailed,  and  she  had  uttered 
but  a  hint,  and  her  sons  had  hastened  to  show  that  thev 
were  ready  to  defend  her.  Law  had  been  violated  by 
actual  murder  and  attempted  treason,  and  that  gibbet 
was  erected  by  law,  and  to  uphold  law  was  this  military 
force  assembled.  But,  greater  still — God's  Holj^  Law 
and  righteous  Providence  was  vindicated,  'Thou  shalt 
not  kill' — 'whoso  sheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man  shall 
his  blood  be  shed.'  And,  here,  the  gray-haired  man  of 
violence  meets  his  fate,  after  he  has  seen  his  two  sons 
cut  down  before  him,  in  the  same  career  of  violence  into 
which  he  had  introduced  them.  So  perish  all  such 
enemies  of  Virginia!  all  such  enemies  of  the  Union! 
all  such  foes  of  the  human  race!  So,  I  felt,  and,  so,  I 
said,  with  solemnity,  and  without  one  shade  of 
animosity,  as  I  turned  to  break  the  silence,  to  those 
around  me.  Yet  the  mystery  was  awful, — to  see  the 
human  form  thus  treated  by  men, — to  see  life  suddenly 
stopped  in  its  current,  and  to  ask  one's  self  the  question, 
without  answer.    'And  what  then?' 

"In  all  that  array  there  was  not,  I  suppose,  one  throb 
of  sympathy  for  the  offender.  All  felt  in  the  depths  of 
their  heart  that  it  was  right.     On  the  other  hand,  there 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  111 

was  not  one  single  word  or  gesture  of  exultation,  or  of 
insult.  From  the  beginning  to  the  end,  all  was  marked 
by  the  most  absolute  decorum  and  solemnity.  There 
was  no  military  music,  no  saluting  by  troops  as  they 
passed  one  another,  or  anything  done  for  show.  The 
criminal  hung  upon  the  gallows  for  nearly  forty 
minutes;  and,  after  being  examined  by  a  whole  staff 
of  surgeons,  his  body  was  deposited  in  a  neat  cofRn 
to  be  delivered  to  his  friends,  and  transported  to 
Harper's  Ferry,  where  his  wife  awaited  it.  She  came 
in  company  with  two  persons  to  see  her  husband  last 
night,  and  returned  to  Harper's  Ferry  this  morning. 
She  is  described  by  those  who  saw  her  as  a  very  large, 
masculine  woman,  of  absolute  composure.  The  officers 
who  witnessed  their  meeting  in  the  jail  said  they  met 
as  if  nothing  unusual  had  taken  place,  and  had  a  com- 
fortable supper  together, 

"There  was  a  very  small  crowd  to  witness  the  execu- 
tion. Governor  Wise  and  General  Taliaferro  had  both 
issued  proclamations,  exhorting  the  citizens  to  remain 
at  home  and  guard  their  property,  and  warned  them  of 
possible  danger.  The  train  on  the  Winchester  Rail- 
road had  been  stopped  from  carrying  passengers  and 
even  passengers  on  the  Baltimore  Railroad  were  sub- 
jected to  examination  and  detention.  An  arrangement 
was  made  to  divide  the  expected  crowd  into  recognized 
citizens  and  those  not  recognized ;  to  require  the  former 
to  go  to  the  right,  and  the  latter  to  the  left.  Of  the 
latter,  there  was  not  a  single  one.  It  was  told  last 
night  there  were  not  in  Charles  Town  ten  persons  be- 
sides citizens  and  military. 

"There  is  but  one  opinion  as  to  the  completeness  of 
the  arrangements  made  on  the  occasion,  and  the  abso- 
lute success  with  which  they  were  carried  out.  I  have 
said  nothing  about  the  striking  effect  of  the  pageant,  as 
a  pageant;  but  the  excellence  of  it  was  that  everything 
was  arranged  solelv  with  the  view  of  efficiencv,  and  not 
for  effect  upon  the  eye.  Had  it  been  intended  as  a  mere 
spectacle,  it  could  not  have  been  made  more  imposing; 


112  The  Military  History  of    . 

or,  had  actual  need  occurred,  it  was  the  best  possible 
arrangement." 

A  number  of  amusing  incidents  in  connection  with 
the  Corps  occurred  at  Charles  Town.  "Grand  Rounds" 
was  a  vicious  and  sensational  performance  which  general 
officers  occasionally  indulged  in.  It  consisted  of  the  Gen- 
eral visiting  all  portions  of  his  command  at  an  unex- 
pected hour,  in  order  to  satisfy  himself  that  everything 
was  in  order  and  the  guards  were  on  the  qiii  vive.  Soon 
after  the  arrival  of  the  Corps,  General  Taliaferro  with 
an  imposing  staff  undertook  to  make  the  "Grand 
Rounds,"  and  for  some  reason  the  Cadet  Guard  was 
not  as  prompt  in  turning  out  as  it  should  have  been. 
The  General  made  some  adverse  criticism  of  what  he 
deemed  to  be  laxity,  which  was  very  mortifying  to  the 
Corps.  Lieutenants  McCausland  and  Shipp  deter- 
mined that  this  would  not  occur  again,  and  it  so 
happened  that  when  the  next  "Grand  Rounds"  were 
made,  Lieutenant  Shipp,  the  tactical  officer  in  charge, 
had  the  Cadet  Guard  thoroughly  instructed  and  turned 
it  out  in  the  promptest  manner.  The  Major-General 
commanding  was  greatly  pleased,  and,  inquiring  the 
name  of  the  young  officer  responsible  for  the  instruction 
of  the  guard,  caused  him  to  be  detailed  to  duty  at  the 
jail  where  John  Brown  was  imprisoned. 

The  press  was  very  sensational  at  this  time,  and  the 
wildest  rumors  were  circulated.  People  had  visions  of 
a  hostile  force  sweeping  down  upon  Charles  Town  at 
any  moment.  Where  it  was  to  come  from,  or  how  it 
was  to  get  there,  gave  them  little  concern. 

The  cadet  section  of  artillery  was  posted  so  as  to 
sweep  a  certain  approach,  and  Major  Jackson  gave 
Lieutenant  Trueheart  the  most  detailed  instructions  as 
to  what  kind  of  ammunition  to  use  under  various  con- 
tingencies, even  directing  how  the  fuzes  should  be  cut, 
should  the  enemy  advance  in  this  or  in  that  direction! 

Now  it  is  doubtful  if  Jackson  had  any  more  idea  that 
an  enemy  would  assail  Charles  Town  than  the  other 
officers  of  the  Corps  had,  but  the  explicit  nature  of  his 


The  Vieginia  Military  Institute  113 

preparations  shows  that  he  was  unwilhng  to  be  sur- 
prised, or  found  unprepared,  in  the  most  remote 
contingency.* 

It  is  also  related  of  Jackson  that,  while  the  Corps  was 
in  Washington,  en  route  to  Harper's  Ferry,  he  placed 
his  money  in  his  stockings,  which  in  turn  he  concealed 
beneath  his  pillow  upon  retiring  at  the  hotel.  The  next 
morning  he  was  unable  to  find  his  stockings,  so  donned 
a  fresh  pair.  It  was  not  until  on  the  way  to  the  depot, 
at  the  head  of  his  battery,  that  he  missed  his  money. 
Halting  his  command  in  the  middle  of  Pennsylvania 
Avenue,  he  returned  to  the  hotel  where  he  recovered 
both  his  money  and  his  stockings. 

There  is  another  incident  connected  with  the  service  of 
the  cadets  at  Charles  Town,  which  is  so  full  of  moral 
force  and  ])eautv  that  the  writer  can  not  refrain  from  re- 
cording  it  here,  to  rescue  it  from  oblivion.  A  widowed 
mother  had  four  sons  with  the  militar}^  at  Charles  Town 
— three  of  them  cadets.  November  29,  1860,  she  wrote 
them  as  follows: 

"My  dear  Boys — To  think  you  are  in  camp,  preparing  for  war, 
and  civil  war,  too !  What  a  calamity !  Yet  I  would  not  recall  you 
if  I  could.  I  believe  this  is  the  hour  of  trial  to  all  who  love  the 
Old  Dominion,  and  I  would  not  have  one  of  my  sons  prove  recreant 
to  his  native  state.  I  have  given  you  up  cheerfully  to  God,  and 
prayed  His  protecting  care,  and  my  trust  is  in  Him  to  preserve  and 
bring  you  back  safely.  I  write  to  tell  you  that  we  have  an  eye 
turned  upon  you,  and  that  our  prayers  go  up  for  you. 

"God  bless  you!  God  bless  you!  and  keep  you  in  the  hollow  of 
His  hand, 

"Prays  your 

"Mother." 

With  such  mothers,  the  tyrant  will  never  conquer  the 
spirit  of,  though  he  may  subdue,  Virginia. 

♦The  foiegoing  incidents  were  related  to  tbe  writer  by  General  Sbipp. 


114  The  Military  History  of 

CHAPTER  VII 

military  preparation 

The  daj^  after  the  execution  of  John  Brown,  the 
Corps  accompanied  Governor  Wise  to  Richmond,  via 
Washington,  on  his  fifty-third  birthday,  December  3d. 
The  Governor  was  immensely  proud  of  the  Corps,  and 
wished  to  return  to  the  capital,  escorted  by  the  gallant 
detail  of  cadets  which  had  served  as  his  body-guard 
during  the  most  trying  event  of  his  public  career.  Their 
presence  in  Richmond,  at  such  a  time,  was  a  fitting 
representation  to  the  excited  populace  of  the  majesty  of 
Virginia,  which  they  had  but  recently  assisted  in  vindi- 
cating. 

While  in  Richmond,  the  artillery  section,  under 
Major  Jackson,  executed  an  interesting  drill  for  the 
people  in  the  Capitol  Square.  December  10th  the 
cadets  reached  Lexington,  after  their  fourth  visit  to 
the  capital  of  the  State. 

The  Governor,  and  the  authorities  of  the  Institute, 
well  knew  that  the  display  of  the  Corps  at  such  a  time 
would  advertise  the  Institute,  and  attract  the  attention 
of  many  to  the  means  of  providing  military  training 
foi'  the  youth  of  the  State,  and  they  were  not 
disappointed  in  the  results,  for  many  applications 
for  entrance  were  immediately  received  by  the 
Superintendent. 

One  of  the  first  official  acts  of  Governor  Wise,  after 
the  execution  of  John  Brown,  was  to  order  the  Superin- 
tendent to  detail  a  competent  officer  of  the  Institute  to 
prepare  a  Manual  of  Tactics  for  the  volunteers  and 
militia  of  Virginia.  This  task  was  promptty  assigned  to 
Major  Gilliam,  Commandant  of  Cadets. 

Perhaps  no  more  difficult  or  important  task  could 
have  been  assigned  an  officer  at  this  time.  Drill  regu- 
lations for  all  branches  of  the  service  were  in  a  generally 
chaotic  state,  and  even  in  the  United  States  Army  seven 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  115 

texts  were  in  use  and  none  were  satisfactory.  No  gen- 
eral Manual  for  the  three  arms  existed. 

Major  Gilham  was  not  slow  to  perceive  the  oppor- 
tunity presented  him,  and  addressed  himself  to  the  work 
in  hand  with  characteristic  energy.  The  result  was,  that 
by  December,  1860  (or  within  a  year),  he  published 
a  military  work  entitled,  "Manual  of  Instruction  for  the 
Volunteers  and  Militia." 

This  work  was  a  distinct  contribution  to  the  military 
art  as  practised  in  America.  It  comprehended  army 
organization,  arms  and  ammunition,  field  service,  staff 
duty,  conduct  of  battles,  military  law  and  procedure, 
besides  drill  regulations  for  the  Infantry,  Artillery  and 
Cavalry.  The  treatment  of  many  of  these  subjects  in 
such  form  was  highly  novel,  and  at  once  made  available 
a  Manual  for  the  American  soldier,  dealing  with  every 
phase  of  instruction  and  not  merely  with  formal  drill. 

The  excellence  of  the  work  is  attested  by  the  fact 
that  it  was  promptly  adopted  by  the  United  States  War 
Department  to  succeed  Hardee's  Tactics,  and  to  sup- 
ply the  want  of  a  more  general  treatise  which  had  been 
so  long  experienced,  but  upon  the  outbreak  of  the  war 
in  1861,  Gilham's  Manual  was  supplanted  in  the 
Federal  Army  by  Casey's  Tactics.  It  was  at  once 
adopted,  however,  by  the  Confederate  States  Army, 
and  formed  the  basis  of  instruction  for  all  arms 
throughout  the  war. 

Thus,  did  the  Institute  contribute  not  only  a  host  of 
gallant  officers  to  the  Southern  cause,  but  also  the 
system  of  training  and  instruction  of  the  Confederate 
Army.  It  should  ever  be  a  matter  of  pride  to  the  School 
that  the  f rontispage  of  the  Confederate  Tactics  read : 

MANUAL  OF  INSTRUCTION 

FOR  THE 

VOLUNTEERS  AND  MILITIA 

Confederate  States, 

BY 

WILLIAM  GILHAM, 

colonel  of  volunteers,  instructor  of  tactics,  and 

commandant  of  cadets, 

VIRGINIA  MILITARY  INSTITUTE. 


116  The  Military  History  of 

But  Gilham's  great  work  was  not  the  sole  contribution 
of  the  Institute  to  the  military  science  of  the  time,  as  we 
shall  see. 

The  treasonable  acts  of  John  Brown,  and  the  wide- 
spread sympathy  displayed  in  the  North  for  that  law- 
less character,  forewarned  the  South  that  war  was 
inevitable.  The  General  Assembly  of  Virginia  was, 
therefore,  admonished  to  provide  for  the  defense  of  the 
State.  As  early  as  November,  1859,  the  Board  of  Visi- 
tors of  the  Institute  submitted  to  the  Legislature  a  copy 
of  its  report  to  the  Governor,  the  previous  June.  The 
preamble  read : 

"Actuated  by  these  considerations,  the  Board  of 
Visitors  feel  it  to  be  their  duty  to  urge  upon  Your  Ex- 
cellency, and  beg  that  Your  Excellency  will  enforce 
upon  the  General  Assembly  the  importance  and  ex- 
pediency of  granting  the  inconsiderable,  yet  essential, 
aid  from  the  State,  which  may  enable  the  Institute  to 
satisfy  the  pressing  public  wants  and  reasonable 
expectations." 

The  report  contained  many  references  to  the  im- 
minence of  war,  and  the  duty  of  the  State  to  prepare 
for  the  inevitable. 

The  result  of  such  warning  was  an  elaborate  measure, 
contained  in  the  Act  of  January  21,  1860,  providing 
for  the  Public  Defense,  and  appropriating  the  sum  of 
$500,000.00  for  the  purchase  of  arms  and  equipment; 
and  the  Governor  was  authorized  to  appoint  com- 
missioners to  make  the  purchases. 

March  28th,  another  Act  was  passed,  reciting  that  "it 
appearing  further  that  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  in  the 
course  of  their  regular  military  education,  may  readily 
be  employed  to  prepare  munitions  of  war,  as  may  be 
demanded  by  the  wants  of  the  State : 

"I.     Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  etc." 

The  special  enactment  was  the  appropriation  of  the 
sum  of  $20,000.00  for  the  erection  of  new  buildings. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  117 

It  was  at  this  time,  also,  that  all  the  officers  of  the 
Virginia  Mihtaiy  Institute  were  constituted  a  part  of 
the  military  establishment  of  the  State,  subject  to  the 
orders  of  the  Governor  who  was  authorized  to  issue  com- 
missions to  the  Professors,  Assistant  Professors,  and 
other  officers,  according  to  the  rank  prescribed  by  the 
regulations  of  the  Institute.  Such  commissions  con- 
ferred no  rank  in  the  active  militia,  however.  The 
Board  of  Visitors,  pursuant  to  this  authority,  fixed  the 
military  rank  of  full  professors  as  that  of  colonel; 
associate  professors,  as  lieutenant-colonel;  adjunct 
professors,  as  major;  and  assistant  professors  as 
captain  in  the  branch  of  the  service  in  which  they  were 
required  to  give  tactical  instruction.  From  the  first  the 
Superintendent's  rank  had  been  fixed  by  law  as  colonel, 
and  that  of  the  Commandant  as  major  of  Engineers.* 

The  Commission  for  the  Public  Defense  consisted  of 
Colonel  Philip  St.  George  Cocke,  Captain  George  W. 
Randolph,  and  Colonel  Francis  H.  Smith.  Randolph 
was  a  graduate  of  the  United  States  Naval  Academy, 
and  later  became  Secretary  of  War  in  the  Confederate 
Cabinet.  Cocke  was  now  again  President  of  the  Board 
of  Visitors  of  the  Institute. 

So  active  was  the  commission  appointed  by  the  Gov- 
ernor, that  additional  appropriations  aggregating 
$106,000.00  were  made  in  March;  and  the  Armory  in 
Richmond  having  already  been  put  in  thorough  condi- 
tion, steps  were  taken  to  secure  the  newest  "machinery, 
implements  and  material"  for  its  operation.  The  Com- 
mission was  furthermore  directed  to  purchase  the 
patent  rights  of  "newly  invented  arms,"  whenever  the 
same  could  be  secured ;  and  the  armament  procured  was 
to  be  distributed  for  immediate  use  in  the  more  exposed 
parts  of  the  State.  These  were  drastic  measures,  and 
clearly  show  what  was  in  the  minds  of  the  people  of 
Virginia. 

In  all  these  proceedings,  and  those  which  followed 
in  connection  with  the  armament  of  Virginia,  it  is  not 
difficult  to  trace  the  influence  of  the  Institute. 


*The  Act   of   1859-60   was   amended   In    10]  2,   giving  officers   of   the   Institute 
j-anl{   in  the    Virginia  Volunteers. 


118  The  Military  History  of 

The  able  men  constituting  the  Commission,  whose 
military"  training  enabled  them  to  grasp  the  seriousness 
of  the  situation,  determined  to  visit  the  various  arsenals 
of  tlie  country,  and  to  open  negotiations  with  the  fore- 
most manufacturers  of  arms  in  America,  and  abroad. 
They  were  accompanied  by  the  recently-elected  Gov- 
ernor, John  Letcher,  of  Lexington,  afterwards  famous 
as  the  energetic  War  Governor.  Their  tour  embraced 
visits  to  Springfield,  Harper's  Ferry,  and  the  West 
Point  Foundry,  at  Cold  Spring,  on  the  Hudson.  While, 
at  the  last-named  place,  they  were  invited  by  Cap- 
tain R.  P.  Parrott,  one  of  the  proprietors,  a  retired 
army  officer  and  personal  friend  of  Colonel  Smith,  to 
witness  a  series  of  experiments  he  was  conducting  with 
his  new  rifled  field  piece.  The  Ordnance  Department 
of  the  Army  had  been  slow  to  grasp  the  importance  of 
Parrott's  invention,  just  as  it  had  declared  the  per- 
cussion cap  interesting,  but  only  as  a  toy, — not  many 
years  before;  and  Parrott  had  up  to  this  time  failed 
to  secure  the  adoption  of  his  gmi.* 

But  the  Virginians  did  not  hesitate.  The  effect  of 
the  fire  of  Parrott's  ordnance,  which  they  witnessed 
from  behind  epaulments,  convinced  the  commission  of 
the  superiority  of  the  rifled  gun  over  any  ordnance  they 
had  seen;  and  Colonel  Smith  was  instructed  to  invite 
the  inventor  to  send  one  gmi  and  100  shells  to  the  Insti- 
tute to  be  thoroughlj^  tested  by  Major  Jackson,  In- 
structor of  Ordnance  and  Artilleiy  Tactics. 

Captain  Parrott  assented  to  the  suggestion,  and  the 
gun  was  received  at  the  Institute,  July  5,  1860.  Major 
Jackson  caused  a  number  of  tent  flies  to  be  set  up  as 
targets,  on  the  ridge  across  the  river,  north  of  the  Insti- 
tute, and,  manning  the  new  piece  with  a  detail  from  his 
artillery  class,  gave  it  a  most  thorough  trial. 

The  accuracy  and  the  range  of  the  gun  were  found 
to  be  astonishing,  and  the  report  of  Major  Jackson  led 
to  the  immediate  purchase  by  the  commission  of  twelve 

*It  was  not  until  November  1st,  1860,  that  an  experimental  board  recom- 
mended the  conversion  of  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  guns  at  the  forts  and  arsenals  ; 
but  even  then'  little  attention  was  paid  to  rifled  field  pieces. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  119 

more  rifled  field  pieces,  with  a  large  supply  of  shells 
therefor.  These  guns  were  first  used,  and  with  great 
effect,  at  the  battle  of  Big  Bethel,  June  10,  1861,  and 
the  reputation  they  there  acquired  led  to  the  general 
introduction  of  the  Parrott  field  piece  into  the  artillery 
of  both  armies.* 

Distinguished  witnesses  of  the  range  practice  with 
the  new  piece  in  Lexington  were  Major  D.  H.  Hill, 
and  the  Rev.  William  Nelson  Pendleton,  both  of  whom 
we  have  previously  had  occasion  to  refer  to.  Major 
Hill  was  still  professor  at  Washington  College,  and 
Dr.  Pendleton  had  been  called  to  Lexington  as  the 
Rector  of  Grace  Episcopal  Church,  in  October,  1853. 
Both  of  these  gentlemen  had  formerly  served  in  the 
United  States  Artillery,  and  were,  therefore,  not  dis- 
interested spectators  of  Major  Jackson's  tests. 

Jackson  had  at  once  grasped  the  situation.  Being 
an  artillery  expert,  he  appreciated  the  great  possibilities 
of  rifled  field  pieces.  The  results  he  had  obtained  with 
the  Parrott  gun  on  the  Institute  range  were  startling 
to  him,  as  well  as  to  all  those  who  had  been  accustomed 
to  smooth  bore  guns  the  greatest  range  of  which  was 
from  1,800  to  2,000  paces.  Even  when  firing  at  1,000 
paces,  the  result  with  the  old  guns  had  been  so  doubt- 
ful that  gunners  generally  (as  said  by  Hohenlohe) 
acted  on  the  proverb:  "The  first  shot  is  for  the  devil, 
the  second  for  God,  and  only  the  third  is  for  the  King," 
that  is  to  say,  that  at  such  a  range  only  one-third  of  the 
sliot  would  hit  a  target  six  feet  high  and  fifty  yards 
wide. 

Jackson  could  have  been  little  influenced  by  sucli 
rumors  as  may  have  sifted  across  the  Atlantic  be- 
fore his  own  trial  of  the  Parrott  gun.  His  nature  was 
not  one  which  allowed  him  to  be  influenced  by  less  than 
the  most  tangible  knowledge,  or  experience.  That  the 
Americans  knew  little  of  European  progress  with  rifling 
is  again  borne  out  by  the  fact  that  General  Johnston, 
though  frantic  in  his  efforts  to  secure  ordnance  for  his 

*During  the  Civil  War  the  West  Point  Foundry  furnished  the  U.  S. 
Government    with    1,200    guns    and    3.000,000    projectiles. 


120  The  Military  History  of 

field  artillery,  wrote  his  Chief  of  Artillery  in  Rich- 
mond,* after  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  "Do  not  fail  to 
urge  the  making  of  12-pounder  howitzers.  I  have  faith 
in  them.  Let  them  send  guns  and  equipment,  and  leave 
us  to  organize.  I  enclose  a  requisition  for  equipment  of 
a  battery  of  rifles,  which  can  not  be  filled  here  ( Manas- 
sas). Will  you  see  if  the  authorities  in  Richmond  can 
do  it?  Do  not,  however,  let  them  prefer  it  to  the  fitting 
out  of  field-batteries  of  smooth  bore  guns." 

In  the  light  of  the  present  day,  it  seems  strange  that 
so  great  a  soldier,  especially  distinguished  for  his  ability 
as  an  organizer,  and  for  his  military  learning,  should 
have  failed  to  appreciate  the  lessons  of  Bethel,  empha- 
sized by  current  report.  Masked  batteries  and  rifled 
guns  were  subjects  of  common  talk  among  the 
soldiery,  and  especially  in  the  press  of  the  time. 
McDowell's  men  had  heard  so  much  of  these  terrible 
things  that  they  marched  into  Virginia,  imagining  them 
to  crown  every  crest.  The  explanation  lies  in  the  fact 
that  Johnston's  experience  had  not  so  far  brought  him 
into  personal  familiarity  with  the  new  invention,  al- 
ready well  known  to  Jackson  and  Pendleton,  both  of 
whom  had  first-hand  knowledge  of  the  new  gun,  through 
personal  experience  with  it  in  Lexington,  the  previous 
year.  Having  staked  his  professional  reputation,  as  it 
were,  on  his  favorable  report  of  the  Parrott  invention, 
Jackson  was  of  course  only  confirmed  in  his  views  bv 
the  events  of  Bethel,  and  the  subsequent  accounts  of  the 
affair. 

On  the  10th  of  August,  General  Johnston  wrote  to 
President  Davis  urging  an  increase  of  the  Artillery 
Arm,  to  be  armed  and  equipped  by  borrowing  material 
from  the  States,  or  hy  casting  guns,  especially  in  Rich- 
mond, adding  a  particular  request  for  12-pounder  howit- 
zers. Though  thoroughly  aware  of  the  value  of  artil- 
lery, and  attributing  the  success  of  the  great  Napoleon 
to  its  proper  use,  General  Johnston  had  not  yet  realized 
the  value  of  rifled  ordnance,  but  when  Pendleton  be- 

*Col.  Wm.  X.  Pendleton,  later  Chief  of  Artillery,  A.  N.  V. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  121 

came  Chief  of  Artillery  of  Johnston's  Army,  he  was 
soon  able  to  enforce  his  views  as  to  the  new  ordnance 
and  overcome  the  prejudices  of  his  commanding  general. 
The  United  States  War  Department  was  not 
ignorant  of  the  tests  made  of  Parrott's  gun  at  the  Insti- 
tute, and  the  subsequent  report  of  its  own  Board  of 
Ordnance  and  Artillery  officers  was  in  its  hands.  Al- 
ready, it  had  received  exaggerated  accomits  of  the  effect 
of  rifled  pieces  at  Bethel.  Now  came  to  its  ears  the 
stoiy  of  Hainesville,  confirming  the  sudden  reversal  of 
opinion,  and  reassuring  the  authorities  that  no  mistake 
had  been  made  in  providing  McDowell  with  a  large 
number  of  rifled  pieces  for  his  impending  invasion  of 
Virginia.  As  to  the  sudden  popularity  of  the  new  gun 
in  the  Confederate  Army,  it  is  only  necessary  to  refer, 
by  way  of  explanation,  to  the  fact  that  the  influence  of 
Jackson  extended  throughout  the  South,  hundreds  of 
his  pupils  holding  important  offices  in  the  Confederate 
armies,  each  one  of  them,  we  may  be  sure,  hanging  upon 
the  words  of  their  former  tutor  in  arms,  by  this  time 
become  a  "martial  divinity"  in  their  eyes. 

The  Institute,  then,  through  the  President  of  the 
Board  of  Visitors,  the  Superintendent,  and  finally 
Major  Jackson,  was  responsible  in  a  large  measure  for 
the  first  practical  use  of  rifled  ordnance  in  war. 

Late  in  the  year  1860,  Robert  Emmet  Rodes,  the  un- 
successful candidate  for  the  chair  filled  by  Jackson 
in  1850,  was  appointed  Professor  of  Civil  Engineering 
and  Applied  Mechanics  at  the  Institute,  and  granted 
a  year's  leave  of  absence  to  visit  Europe,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  study.  Before  his  leave  expired,  however,  the 
war  broke  out;  and,  though  carried  to  the  day  of  his 
death,  at  Winchester  in  1864,  as  a  Major-General,  on 
the  rolls,  he  never  actually  served  a  single  day  at  the 
Institute  as  a  full  professor. 

Important,  in  connection  with  the  appointment  of 
Colston  and  Rodes  as  professors,  it  is  to  be  noted  that 
the  Institute  no  longer  depended  upon  West  Point  for 
its  officers,  and  that  well  before  the  war  interrupted 


122  The  Militaky  History  of 

the  intimate  relationship  existing  between  the  two 
schools,  the  Institute  had  begun  to  draw  vipon  its  own 
graduates  for  its  skilled  officers  and  teachers.  In  1860, 
M.  B.  Hardin,  of  the  Class  of  1858,  was  appointed 
an  adjunct-professor. 

Many  distinguished  men  were  invited  to  attend  the 
final  exercises  in  July,  1860,  including  Professor  D.  H. 
Mahan  of  the  Military  Academy,  Captain  George  L. 
Blake  of  the  Naval  Academy,  Commander  T.  T. 
Craven,  and  Commander  J.  A.  Dahlgren  of  the  Navy, 
all  of  whom  except  Captain  Blake  accepted  the  in- 
vitation. The  Governor,  accompanied  by  Colonel  W.  J. 
Hardee  (subsequently  Lieutenant- General,  C.  S.  A.), 
Commandant  of  Cadets,  U.  S.  M.  A.,  also  attended,  and 
inspected  the  Corps.  According  to  General  T.  T.  Mun- 
ford.  Colonel  Hardee  drilled  the  Battalion,  and  to  Ma- 
jor Gilham  pronounced  it  as  well  drilled  as  his  own, 
saying,  "I  was  unable  to  give  them  a  single  command 
that  they  did  not  execute  with  precision." 

For  many  years,  that  is,  since  about  1855,  Major 
Gilham  had  been  deeply  absorbed  in  the  work  of  de- 
veloping a  department  of  Physical  Sciences  at  the  Insti- 
tute, and  the  demands  upon  his  time  were  excessive. 
With  the  passing  of  time,  he  had  become  more  and 
more  studious  in  his  tastes,  and  devoted  to  scientific  re- 
search. In  view  of  these  facts,  the  Board  determined, 
late  in  1860,  to  secure,  if  possible,  another  Commandant. 
While  Colonel  Smith  was  willing  to  have  graduates  of 
the  Institute  appointed  to  the  faculty,  he  felt  it  wise  to 
keep  a  West  Pointer  in  the  Commandant's  Office,  and 
again  opened  negotiations  for  a  suitable  officer.  Under 
date  of  January  18,  1861,  he  received  a  letter  from 
Major  George  H.  Thomas,  of  the  United  States 
Cavalry,  in  which,  referring  to  the  position  he  had  heard 
was  to  be  offered  an  officer  of  the  army,  he  said:  "If  not 
already  filled,  I  will  be  under  obligations  if  you  will 
inform  me  what  salary  and  allowances  pertain  to  the 
situation,  as,  from  present  appearances,  I  fear  it  will 
soon  be  necessary  for  me  to  be  looking  for  some  means 
of  support." 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  123 

At  this  time,  Major  Thomas  was  notoriously  a 
States'  Rights  man,  and  professed  the  most  sanguine 
loyalty  to  Virginia,  and  was  undoubtedly  casting  about, 
as  many  officers  of  the  army  were,  to  provide  for  the 
future.  Very  naturally,  he  was  desirous  of  securing  a 
berth  which  would  place  him  in  a  most  favorable  posi- 
tion in  the  event  of  war,  which  he  had  frequently  fore- 
told. His  application  for  the  position  was  doubtless 
due  to  Major  Gilham,  for  between  them  a  great  friend- 
ship existed.  But  the  application  of  Major  Thomas 
was  not  regarded  with  favor,  and  it  soon  became  known 
that  the  Board  would  elect  Captain  Scott  Shipp,  an 
assistant  professor,  and  graduate  of  the  Institute  of 
the  Class  of  1859,  to  succeed  Gilham. 

Captain  Shipp  was  on  the  point  of  resigning  his 
office  to  study  law  at  the  University  of  Virginia,  but 
was  now  urged  to  remain  at  the  Institute;  and  even 
Gilham,  who  had  before  suggested  Thomas,  added  his 
persuasions  to  those  of  others  to  keep  Captain  Shipp 
from  carrying  out  his  original  intention. 

Knowing  that  Major  Thomas  was  looking  for  a  post 
of  vantage,  and  wishing  to  do  "Old  Tom"  a  good  turn, 
especially  since  he  had  failed  to  land  the  position  at  the 
Institute,  Major  Gilham  later  recommended  his  old 
friend  to  Governor  Letcher  whom  he  frequently  visited 
in  Lexington,  and  by  whom  he  was  constantly  consulted, 
for  appointment  as  Chief  of  Ordnance  of  Virginia. 
Governor  Letcher,  who  was  energetically  organizing  the 
State  troops,  was  in  need  of  just  such  a  man,  and  hence 
the  following  letter : 

"New  York  Hotel,  12th  March,  1861. 

"His  Excellency,  Governor  John  Letcher, 
"Richmond,  Virginia. 

"Dear  Sir — I  received  yesterday  a  letter  from  Major  Gilham, 
of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  dated  the  9th  inst..  in  reference 
to  the  position  of  Chief  of  Ordnance  of  the  State,  in  which  he 
informs  me  that  you  requested  him  to  ask  me  if  I  would  resign  from 
the  service,  and,  if  so,  whether  that  post  would  be  acceptable  to  me  ? 
As  he  requested  me  to  make  my  reply  to  you  direct,  I  have  the  honor 


124  The  Military  History  of 

to  state,  after  expressing  my  most  sincere  thanks  for  your  very 
kind  offer,  that  it  is  not  my  wish  to  leave  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  as  long  as  it  is  honorable  for  me  to  remain  in  it;  and,  there- 
fore, as  long  as  my  native  state,  Virginia,  remains  in  the  Union,  it 
is  my  purpose  to  remain  in  the  army,  unless  requested  to  perform 
duties  alike  repulsive  to  honor  and  humanity. 

"I  am,  very  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"George  H.  Thomas, 

"Major  U.  S.  Army." 

If  Major  Thomas  did  not  mean  to  signify  to  Gov- 
ernor Letcher  (by  the  words  itahcised  by  the  author) 
that  it  was  his  desire  to  remain  in  the  army  at  that  time 
(more  than  a  month  before  Virginia  seceded), — but 
his  purpose  to  remain  in  it  only  so  long  as  his  native 
State,  Virginia,  remained  in  the  Union,- — then,  it  is 
clear  that  hmnan  language  is  worthless  to  express  hu- 
man purpose.  When  we  consider  this  letter  in  con- 
nection with  his  voluntary  application  for  the  office  of 
Commandant  at  the  Institute,  there  can  be  no  doubt  of 
Major  Thomas's  intentions,  as  late  as  March,  1861.  He 
remained  in  the  Federal  Army,  as  we  all  know,  and 
was  promoted  to  Major-General.  That  promotion  was 
the  bait  of  his  loyalty;  but  he  erred  in  grabbing  it,  for 
he  was  never  fully  trusted  by  the  strangers  among  whom 
he  remained,  and,  therefore,  never  given  the  opportuni- 
ties he  might  have  had  in  the  Southern  army. 

There  was  always  a  large  question  mark  after 
Thomas's  name.  Why  did  he  remain  in  the  Federal 
Army,  after  years  of  professing  loyalty  to  the  South? 
And  then,  too,  we  may  rest  assured  his  receptive  at- 
titude, in  the  early  spring  of  1861,  was  known  to  other 
persons  than  Colonel  Smith,  Major  Gilham,  and  Gov- 
ernor Letcher. 

It  was  also  in  1860  that  the  Superintendent  was 
directed  by  the  Board  to  receive  candidates  for  cadetship 
from  other  States,  and  immediately  applications  from 
the  Southern  States  began  to  be  received. 

That  same  year,  the  General  Assembly  passed  a 
resolution  providing  for  the  removal  of  General  Henry 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  125 

Lee's  remains  from  Cmnberland  Island,  Georgia,  and 
their  reinterment  at  the  Virginia  Mihtary  Institute. 
The  advent  of  the  war  interfered  with  the  execution  of 
this  plan.  In  1913,  they  were  removed  to  Lexington, 
pursuant  to  a  resolution  of  the  General  Assembly  of 
1912,  and  placed  in  a  vault,  beside  those  of  his  illustrious 
son,  Robert  Edward  Lee,  in  the  Chapel  of  Washington 
and  Lee  Universitv. 


126  The  Military  History  of 


CHAPTER  VIII 

^"^DRAW    THE   SWORD    AND   THROW    AWAY   THE    SCABBARD" 

Whatever  ma}^  have  been  the  true  contemporary 
estimate  of  Major  Jackson,  one  thing  is  certain, — his 
interest  in  affairs  became  more  apparent,  his  eyes  a 
httle  brighter,  his  back,  perhaps,  straighter,  and  his 
step  more  agile,  upon  the  near  approach  of  war.  The 
cadet  gunners  began  to  notice  a  firmer  note  in  his  voice, 
and  all  recalled  his  oft-repeated  remark,  now  tran- 
scribed upon  the  cornice  of  the  Chapel  erected  at  the 
Institute  in  1897  to  his  memory,  "You  Can  Be  Wliat- 
ever  You  Resolve  To  Be." 

The  growing  discontent  in  the  country,  in  the  fall  of 
1860  and  the  following  winter,  caused  great  excitement 
in  the  Corps.  The  newspapers  were  scanned  with 
avidity  in  Barracks,  and  the  accounts  of  military 
preparations  fired  the  cadets  with  an  enthusiasm  for 
war  which  j^outh,  careless  of  consequences  but  longing 
for  opportunities  to  win  glory,  alone  can  feel. 

After  Lincoln's  election,  the  New  York  Herald  was 
the  principal  source  of  information  from  the  North,  and 
was  read  by  Major  Jackson  with  keen  interest.  One 
night  he  and  his  assistant  were  perusing  the  Herald  in 
their  section-room,  neither  having  spoken  for  some 
time.  "Major,"  inquired  Lieutenant  Cunningham, 
"would  vou  like  to  see  war?" 

Major  Jackson  stopped  reading  his  paper,  and  for 
five  minutes  hung  down  his  head  before  replying.  He 
then  looked  up,  and,  in  a  low  and  deliberate  tone,  said: 
"Mr.  Cunningham,  as  a  Christian,  I  wouldn't  like  to  see 
war,"  and  then  raising  his  voice  until  it  rang  out  like  a 
bugle-call,  with  eye  flashing  and  every  fibre  of  his  body 
tingling  with  excitement,  added,  "but  as  a  soldier,  sir, 
I  would  like  to  see  war!"* 


•This  Incident   is   related  by   General   Henry  T.   Douglas,   of  New   York  and 
Virginia,  to  whom  it  was  recounted  by  Major  Cunningham,  after  the  war. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  127 

Nothing  that  could  he  said  would  indicate  what  must 
have  been  the  sentiments  of  the  fiery  cadets  at  this  time, 
as  well  as  the  narration  of  this  incident.  How  it  must 
have  inspired  the  Corps  when  it  became  known  to  them ! 

Throughout  the  winter  of  1860-61,  a  spirit  of  intense 
restlessness  pervaded  Barracks;  at  times  the  cadets  be- 
came turbulent  though  never  insubordinate.  The  ex- 
plosion of  bombs  and  other  disorders  were  of  almost 
daily  occurrence.  The  guard  was  increased  and  the 
penalty  of  dismissal  promptly  inflicted  on  all  who  were 
apprehended  in  the  disorders,  and  finally  the  disturb- 
ances ceased  for  the  time  being,  only  to  be  followed  by 
an  incident  of  grave  consequence. 

February  22,  1861,  James  W.  Thomson,  who  met  a 
gallant  death  at  Sailor's  Creek  as  a  major  of  Horse 
Artillery,  after  four  years  of  distinguished  service  in 
the  Confederate  Army,  and  D.  Murray  Lee,  a  son  of 
Sidney  Smith  Lee,  and  a  nephew  of  Robert  E.  Lee, 
both  of  whom  were  Fourth  Classmen  at  the  time,  hoisted 
a  secession  flag  at  reveille  on  the  tower  of  Barracks  from 
which  Old  Glory  usually  fluttered  in  the  breeze,  beside 
the  State  flag  on  the  other  tower.  Captain  Lee  has 
recently  furnished  me,  through  Captain  Colonna,  with  a 
full  description  of  the  incident  and  a  sketch  of  the  seces- 
sion flag,  which  he  and  Thomson  made  with  shoe  black- 
ing, and  a  cadet  issue  sheet.  In  the  center  it  displayed 
the  Goddess  of  Liberty  and  the  motto — Sic  Semper 
Tyrannis.  At  the  top  appeared  in  bold  letters — Hurrah 
for  South  Carolina.* 

As  soon  as  the  strange  flag  was  discovered  by  the 
guard  it  was  hauled  down ;  but,  in  the  excitement  it  was 
recaptured  by  Thomson  and  Lee,  and  buried  by  them 
in  the  stove  at  the  military  store.  The  bold  escapade, 
the  parties  to  which  were  undiscovered,  served  to  arouse 
intense  enthusiasm  in  the  Corps  of  Cadets  for  the  cause 
of  secession.  There  were  not  only  many  cadets  present 
from  the  far  South,  but  secession  meant  war,  and  the 
ardent  youth  of  the  Institute,  who  reckoned  little  of  the 

•South  Carolina  had  of  course  already  seceded.  Captain  Lee  served  In  the 
Confederate    Navy    under    his    father.    Admiral    Lee. 


128  The  Military  History  of 

meaning  of  armed  conflict  between  North  and  South, 
thirsted  for  adventure  and  largely  supported  that  course 
most  certain  to  yield  them  the  opportunities  they  longed 
for. 

Another  incident  which  made  a  deep  impress  upon 
the  minds  of  the  cadets,  and  which  was  later  forcibly  re- 
called to  them,  occurred  in  March,  1861. 

The  Secession  Ordinance  of  Virginia  had  not  then 
been  enacted,  but  on  the  18th  of  April,  the  Confederacy^ 
had  been  born  at  Montgomery,  with  South  Carolina, 
Alabama,  Georgia,  Louisiana,  and  Texas  as  constituent 
states  of  the  New  Sovereignty. 

The  sentiment  in  the  Corps  was  by  this  time  almost 
overwhelmingly  in  favor  of  secession.  Rockbridge 
County  and  Lexington  were  vehemently  opposed  to  the 
withdrawal  of  Virginia  from  the  Union.  Members  of 
the  Corps  were  almost  daily  hoisting  secession  flags 
about  the  Institute,  in  spite  of  the  vigorous  efforts  of 
the  authorities  to  suppress  such  actions.  At  this  time, 
a  fine  volunteer  company,  composed  of  young  men  of 
Lexington  and  vicinity,  with  Captain  Sam  Letcher, 
brother  of  the  Governor  at  its  head,  was  being  regularly 
drilled  on  Saturdays,  in  the  town.  It  was  announced 
that  on  a  certain  Saturday  the  cadets  would  raise  a 
secession  flag,  and  the  volunteers  the  Stars  and  Stripes. 
This  brought  large  numbers  of  people  to  town,  most  of 
whom  came  provided  with  arms.  The  Unionists  were 
greatly  in  the  majority,  and  after  they  had  witnessed 
the  cadets  raise  the  Stars  and  Bars,  they  determined 
to  have  their  own  flag-raising.  But  by  some  means  the 
partisans  of  secession  bored  holes  in  the  pole  provided 
by  the  Unionists  and  when  it  was  raised  the  Union  flag 
fell  to  the  ground  amid  joyous  expressions  from  the 
opposing  party. 

Several  onlookers  were  slightly  injured  by  the  falling 
pole,  and  the  leg  of  one  man  was  broken.  The  unhappy 
issue  of  the  affair  greatly  aggravated  the  more  violent 
Unionists  who  at  first  attributed  their  misfortunes  to  the 
cadets,  who,  nevertheless,  vehemently  denied  any  part 
in  the  affair. 


.MA.KiK  (JKNEUAL    FRANCIS    IlENNEY    SMIll 
SrPKi!IXTEXl>EXT    1  830-1890 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  129 

The  following  Saturday,  when  the  cadets  as  usual 
were  allowed  to  visit  Lexington,  several  of  them  became 
involved  in  a  dispute  with  a  party  of  armed  moun- 
taineers who  were  openly  in  sympathy  with  the  Union 
party.  The  dispute  which  arose  over  the  flag  incident 
soon  developed  into  a  fracas  in  which  Cadet  J.  K. 
Thomson,  and  perhaps  one  other,  were  roughly  handled 
by  the  countrymen. 

Upon  the  cadets  reaching  Barracks  with  bloody  faces 
and  uniforms,  the  rumor  spread  abroad  that  a  cadet  had 
been  killed  in  Lexington  by  the  Unionists.  The  alarm 
was  at  once  somided  on  the  guard  house  drum,  and  in 
a  few  seconds  Galloway,  the  First  Captain  of  the  Corps, 
rushed  through  the  court-yard  and  sally-port,  bran- 
dishing his  sabre  and  calling  in  his  commanding  tones 
for  the  Corps  to  "Turn  Out  Under  Arms." 

The  response  to  Galloway's  command  was  immediate. 
The  cadets  assembled  at  their  usual  posts,  a  detail  was 
made  to  man  two  field  guns,  the  companies  called  off, 
and  the  Battahon,  fully  armed  and  provided  with  ball 
cartridges  hitherto  issued  to  them,  was  led  off  in  columns 
of  fours  by  Galloway  toward  Lexington  by  the  custo- 
mary route  leading  over  the  parapet.  Upon  reaching 
the  main  road  to  the  town  the  Battalion  was  formed  in 
column  of  companies  at  full  distance.  Upon  the  head 
of  the  column  reaching  Governor  Letcher's  residence, 
just  beyond  the  Institute  reservation,  a  number  of 
officers  who  had  been  sitting  on  the  porch  endeavored 
to  turn  back  the  cadets,  but  they  heeded  only  Gallo- 
way's commands  to  press  on.  At  this  juncture  the 
Superintendent  arrived,  but  failing  to  reach  Galloway, 
and  being  imfamihar  with  the  nature  of  the  demonstra- 
tion, also  failed  in  his  efforts  to  disperse  the  cadets. 

The  news  had  reached  Lexington  that  the  cadets 
were  forming  for  an  attack  upon  the  town,  filling  the 
citizens  with  consternation,  for  they  clearly  foresaw 
what  would  be  the  consequence  of  an  armed  conflict  be- 
tween the  cadets  and  the  rugged  mountaineers  and  the 
other  Unionists  sympathizers,  who  were  preparing  to 


130  The  Military  History  of 

defend  themselves  if  need  be.  Furthermore,  in  order  to 
protect  the  citizens,  the  local  volunteer  companj'^  had 
been  called  out  and  stationed  in  a  position  to  bar  the 
progress  of  the  cadets  to  the  town.  The  situation  was 
one  of  general  misunderstanding  on  both  sides,  and  was 
relieved  in  the  very  nick  of  time  by  a  deputation  of 
leading  citizens  who,  investigating  the  causes  of  the 
disturbance,  were  able  to  assure  the  officers  of  the  Insti- 
tute that  no  cadet  had  been  killed. 

"Meanwhile,  a  tall,  sinewy,  well-formed  man,  with  a 
slight  stoop  in  his  shoulders,  large  feet  and  hands,  re- 
treating forehead,  blue-grey  eyes,  straight  nose,  strong 
mouth  and  chin  held  well  to  the  front,  appeared  on  the 
scene.  In  measured  gait,  Major  Thomas  Jonathan 
Jackson  walked  up  and  down  before  the  Battalion  which 
he  viewed  closely,  then  looked  at  the  surroundings  and 
the  position  of  the  opposing  forces.  He  uttered  no 
words,  but  his  movements  grew  more  animated  every 
moment;  his  statue  straightened  and  grew  taller  and 
bigger,  and  his  merit,  which  was  known  to  all,  made 
him  the  central  figure.  Still,  the  formation  of  the  Bat- 
talion went  on.  A  leader  who  would  take  command  was 
only  needed,  while  three  himdred  yards  up  the  street  the 
volunteer  company  of  a  himdred  young  men,  well-of- 
ficered, armed,  and  equipped,  had  been  drawn  up  across 
the  street,  supported  by  five  times  their  number  of  the 
citizens  of  the  town  and  comity,  armed  with  shot  guns, 
rifles  and  pistols."* 

On  past  the  next  house  marched  the  column  until  the 
leading  company  was  confronted  by  a  superbly  mounted 
officer,  who  caused  it  to  mark  time,  each  company  as 
it  closed  doing  the  same  until  the  Battalion  was  closed 
in  mass,  but  still  marking  time. 

"Mr.  Galloway,"  said  the  soldierly  officer  in  a  firm 
but  low  tone  as  he  rose  in  his  stirrups,  "halt  the  column." 
"Battalion,  Halt,"  commanded  Galloway. 

"Face  them  about  and  take  them  back  to  Barracks," 
said    the    quiet    mannered,    unruffled    officer,    and    his 

*The  War.   James   H.    Wood,   V.   M.   I.,   1861. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  131 

directions  were  hardly  given  before  the  Corps  was 
coiintermarched,  passing  the  perfectly  manned  section 
of  artillery  as  it  returned  past  the  guard  tree. 

By  the  time  Galloway  had  halted  his  command,  every 
member  of  which  stood  dumf  oimded  but  unable  through 
force  of  training  and  habit  to  disobey  when  once  the 
ranks  were  closed,  he  had  received  instructions  from 
the  Superintendent.  "Go  to  your  rooms  and  disarm 
and  assemble  at  once  in  Colonel  Preston's  section- 
room,"  directed  the  First  Captain,  and  this  was  quickly 
done  as  ordered. 

The  reader  must  agree  with  those  who  recall  this 
incident  accurately,  that  the  conduct  of  that  Battalion 
evidenced  a  most  remarkable  state  of  disciphne  among 
its  members.  Only  one  familiar  with  the  force  which 
the  mob  spirit  of  300  stalwart  youths  with  arms  in  their 
hands  can  set  on  foot,  is  able  to  appreciate  this  incident 
in  its  full  significance.  Here  we  see  the  mob  spirit, 
fanned  to  a  frenzy  by  the  belief  that  physical  violence 
had  been  unjustly  and  wantonly  offered  one  of  the  mob. 
In  an  instant  the  suppressed  animosities,  which  had 
been  generating  for  months,  burst  out  in  a  great  flame  of 
pent-up  rage.  The  cry  of  a  leader  is  heard — "Turn  Out 
under  Arms!"  The  meaning  of  that  summons  is  known 
of  all — the  very  tone  of  authority  which  makes  the  simi- 
mons  a  command  quickens,  and  seems  to  justify,  even 
in  the  coolest  minds,  the  sense  of  the  righteousness 
of  revenge.  In  an  instant  300  madmen  seize  their 
arms;  in  another  instant  about  the  mob  is  thrown 
the  coil  of  discipline,  and  frenzied  individuals 
no  longer  rush  hither  and  thither  in  the  surge  of  the 
mob,  but  stand  shoulder  to  shoulder  in  the  silent  ranks, 
breathlessly  awaiting  the  voice  of  a  leader  ordained  by 
order,  or  habit,  or  common  consent,  what  you  will.  No 
longer  do  we  hear  the  din  of  mingled  cries  and  im- 
precations. The  eyes  of  these  300  youths  no  longer 
flash  forth  that  half-animal  ferocity  of  the  frenzied  mob. 
The  ranks  are  closed.  A  familiar  voice  directs.  The 
directions    are    not    incoherent,    demagogical    ravings, 


132  The  Military  History  of 

serving  to  fan  the  flame  of  senseless  frenzy  smothered 
awhile.  They  are  old,  familiar  commands.  Each  jaw 
is  firmly  set;  each  eye  now  gleams  with  resolution 
mingled  with  ordered  intelligence.  The  great  human 
throng  moves,  not  with  the  hysterical  jerk  of  the  mob, 
but  with  a  smoothness  born  of  common  intent.  Sud- 
denly through  the  force  of  discipline  alone,  the  purpose 
of  a  single  mind  has  substituted  itself  for  the  confusion 
of  many  others.  The  mob  mind  has  been  overcome ;  the 
will  of  the  leader  has  become  that  of  the  crowd— the  mob 
has  vanished  as  suddenly  as  it  came  into  being.  And 
so  transpires  the  psychological  transformation  which 
caused  Major  Colston,  on  his  superb  charger  "Pompy," 
to  meet,  not  an  unreasoning  mob,  but  a  body  of  soldiers 
trained  to  obey;  a  body  whose  unconscious  but  highest 
boast  was  its  ability  to  subordinate  individual  desires  to 
the  will  of  a  superior. 

We  may  search  afar  for  a  more  striking  example  of 
the  value  of  military  discipline.  Few  incidents  convey 
a  better  lesson  for  those  who  in  their  ignorance  contend 
that  uniforms  and  arms  alone  are  capable  of  making 
soldiers  of  citizens  in  the  hovu*  of  emergency.  In  this 
incident  will  the  psychologist  also  find  much  of  interest, 
and  before  dismissing  it  we  should  ponder  well  the  ele- 
ment of  influence  which  Major  Colston,  known  to  the 
cadets  as  "Old  Polly,"  brought  to  bear  on  the  collective 
will.  As  his  subsequent  career  shows  he  was  a  natural 
leader.  Intuitively  he  knew  that  unflinching  calmness, 
not  hysteria,  was  the  note  his  command  should  convey. 
He  knew  the  danger  of  a  discordant  word  at  such  a 
time.  It  is  such  intuitive  knowledge  that  enables  some 
men  to  rise  superior  in  time  of  crisis,  and  the  lack  of 
such  that  causes  others  to  fail  under  the  strain. 

When  the  cadets  were  finally  assembled  in  the  section- 
room  to  which  Galloway  had  ordered  them  to  repair, 
they  were  excoriated  by  the  Superintendent  for  their 
conduct.  They  inwardly  resented  his  charge  of  in- 
subordination and  felt  that  they  had  been  guilty  of  no 
such  act  in  refusing  to  break  their  ranks  until  ordered 


The  Virginia  MilitxVry  Institute  133 

to  do  so  by  their  immediate  commander  whom  the 
Superintendent  and  the  other  officers  they  had  en- 
comitered  had  not  approached.  Colonel  Preston  and 
Major  Massie  next  spoke  in  turn  and  then  the  cadets 
began  to  call  for  a  speech  from  Major  Jackson,  who 
had  been  a  silent  but  interested  observer  of  the  pro- 
ceedings, both  in  the  town  and  in  the  assembly  hall.  At 
first  Jackson  declined  to  respond  and  only  arose  at  the 
reiterated  request  of  Colonel  Smith. 

"At  once,  he  moimted  the  rostrum  and  faced  his  audi- 
ence. His  erect  figure,  flashing  eye,  energetic  ex- 
pression,— short,  quick  and  to  the  point, — disclosed  to 
the  commonest  mind  a  leader  of  merit.  He  said,  'Mili- 
tary men  make  short  speeches,  and  as  for  myself,  I  am 
no  hand  at  speaking,  anyhow.  The  time  for  war  has  not 
yet  come,  but  it  will  come,  and  that  soon;  and  when  it 
does  come,  my  advice  is  to  draw  the  sword  and  throw 
away  the  scabbard.' 

"The  personality  of  the  speaker,  the  force  of  those 
simple  words  thus  uttered,  elicited  a  response  of  ap- 
proval I  never  heard  surpassed,  except  for  the  Con- 
federate yell  often  heard  on  the  battlefield,  a  little  later 
on.  This  simple  speech  and  manner  of  Jackson  estab- 
lished in  the  minds  of  his  audience  the  belief  that  he  was 
a  leader  upon  whose  loyalty  and  courage  we  could 
rely."* 

Thus  it  was,  that  Major  Jackson,  "Old  Tom  Fool," 
sprang  into  prominence  among  the  cadets  as  the  "man 
of  the  hour"  in  their  military  world.  Who  shall  say 
that  psychology  does  not  play  a  leading  role  in  war? 

♦The  War,  James  H.  Wood,  V.  M.  I.,  1861.  Captain  Wood's  description  of 
the  action  of  the  cadets  In  marching  to  the  town  Is  very  Interesting  but  in 
some    respects    erroneous,    according    to    several    other    participants. 


134  The  Military  History  of 


CHAPTER  IX 

UNION    SENTIMENT MOBILIZATION— THE    CORPS   OF   CA- 
DETS ENTERS  THE   SERVICE   OF   THE   CONFEDERACY 

CAMP  LEE ^^FIRST  BLOOD  OF  THE  WAR"^ 

It  must  not  be  thought  that  the  Institute  was  free 
from  that  difference  of  conviction  which  led  brothers 
throughout  the  South  to  espouse  the  cause  of  secession 
and  union.  There  is  authority  for  the  behef  that  over 
half  a  million  Southern-born  white  men  cast  their  lot 
as  soldiers  with  the  North.  There  were  also  many 
Northern  men  who  followed  the  fortunes  of  the  Con- 
federacy, and  a  nimiber  of  them  attained  high  rank  in 
the  Southern  armies,  such  as  General  Samuel  Cooper, 
Lieutenant-General  John  C.  Pemberton,  Major-Gen- 
erals  Samuel  C.  French,  Martin  L.  Smith,  Franklin 
Gardner;  Brigadier-Generals  Albert  Pike,  Albert  C. 
Blanchard,  Daniel  Leadbetter,  Isaac  M.  St.  John, 
Josiah  Gorgas,  and  others. 

When  Virginia  seceded  the  present  State  of  West 
Virginia  comprised  a  large  part  of  her  territory  and 
there  were  a  nmnber  of  cadets  from  the  western  district 
of  the  State,  whose  people  were  strongly  union  in  senti- 
ment. And  then  there  were  others  from  the  border 
States  who  entertained  the  convictions  of  the  North. 
Their  records  are  fully  set  forth  in  Appendix  "H,"  and 
show  that  of  the  fifteen  cadets  who  entered  the  military 
service  of  the  United  States,  one  became  a  brigadier- 
general,  three  became  colonels,  one  attained  the  rank  of 
lieutenant-colonel,  three  that  of  major  and  three  that  of 
captain,  two  became  lieutenants,  one  a  surgeon  in  the 
navy,  and  one  a  private  in  the  army.  Five  of  the 
number  lost  their  lives  during  the  war  and  two  soon 
after  its  close,  in  the  line  of  duty. 

There  have  been  a  number  of  reimions  of  the  war 
cadets  of  the  Institute  since  1865;  some  of  them  at- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  135 

tended  by  those  who  went  forth  from  Virginia's  School 
of  Arms  to  fight  for  the  Union  against  their  comrades 
of  cadet  days.  But  there  was  no  spirit  of  recrimination, 
no  sentiment  of  regret  expressed  at  these  joyous  gath- 
erings; rather  more  a  spirit  of  thanksgiving  that  all 
could  return  without  a  feeling  that  there  was  something 
here  to  wean  the  stripling  soldier  from  allegiance  to  his 
convictions.  At  these  reunions  there  were  none  but 
recalled  that  long  ere  they  donned  the  frock  coat  of  an 
officer,  either  Federal  or  Confederate,  they  had  re- 
sponded to  the  reveille  of  life  while  wearing  the  cadet 
coatee ;  and  that  the  flag  they  had  first  learned  to  follow 
and  to  love,  that  they  had  served  together — its  white 
field,  yet  unsullied  as  the  driven  snow — was  emblazoned 
only  with  the  features  of  Washington  and  the  name  of 
V.  M.  I.! 

At  the  1913  Reunion  of  the  graduates  of  the  United 
States  Military  Academy,  General  Morris  Schaff,  of 
Massachusetts,  the  president  of  the  association,  con- 
tributed from  his  beautiful  pen,  a  pen  dipped  always 
in  the  well  of  human  tenderness  and  brotherly  affection, 
the  following  lines  which  we  may  repeat  to  express  the 
sentiments  of  all  V.  M.  I.  men  for  those  cadets  who 
entered  the  Federal  service  during  the  War  between  the 
States : 

"What  a  just  pride  we  have  then  in  Grant  and  Lee;  but  not  in 
them  only,  for  in  what  numbers  and  what  splendor  our  fellow- 
graduates  performed  their  part  in  that  national  crisis  and  where- 
soever, before  and  since,  they  have  followed  the  flag.  And  as  my 
eyes  sweep  once  more  this  chapel  so  dear  and  familiar  to  them,  its 
speaking  tablets,  its  mute  cannon,  dreaming  colors  and  Weir's 
picture  of  War  and  Peace  over  this  altar  appealing  to  our  hearts 
through  the  finer  avenues  of  our  being,  lo !  the  doors  open  and  the 
battalion  of  my  youth  is  marching  in.  Time  has  not  dimmed  the 
banner  they  carry,  dewy  and  radiant  still  are  the  faces  in  the 
springtime  of  life.  Kingsbury,  who  fell  at  Antietam;  Gushing  and 
Pelham  of  immortal  fame,  O'Rorke  and  little  Dad  Woodruff, 
Sanderson,  Robbins,  Murray,  Cross,  Jones,  W.  G.,  that  prince 
among  gentlemen;  Collins,  Dimock,  Roderic  Stone,  Beckham, 
Patterson,  Willet,  Ramseur,  Jim  Bearing,  "Ned"  Willis, — Oh,  cadet 
friends  of  my  day !    garlands,  garlands   for  you  all,  whether  you 


136  The  Military  History  or 

wore  the  blue  or  the  gray,  and  peace,  peace  to  your  ashes  wherever 
they  lie !  And  when  I  recall  the  gentleness  of  their  natures  and  the 
blessings  the  sacrifices  of  their  lives  brought  to  our  country  and 
humanity,  I  feel  like  saying  to  the  National  Peace  Society,  which  in 
its  laudable,  humanitarian  enthusiasm  puts  all  wars  in  the  category 
of  barbarism,  that  those  men  condemned  and  abhorred  commercial 
and  ambitious  war  as  much  as  you  do;  but,  members  of  the  Peace 
Society,  lofty  and  humane  as  is  your  purpose,  sweet  as  are  the 
days  and  the  songs  of  peace,  so  long  as  there  is  iron  in  the  blood, 
life  will  be  laid  down  as  they  laid  theirs  down  for  Home,  for 
Justice,  and  the  free  exercise  of  Natural  rights,  and  heartily  self- 
respecting  manhood  will  exclaim.  Amen!" 

Yes.  What  a  just  pride  we  have  in  that  httle  band  of 
blue-clad  soldiers,  one  of  whom  later  sent  his  first-born 
son  to  be  trained  in  our  halls  as  an  evidence  of  his  de- 
votion to  Alma  Mater. 

If,  perchance,  the  reader  should  fail  to  understand, 
even  after  reading  the  foregoing  words,  the  attitude  of 
the  V.  M.  I.  toward  her  sons  who  espoused  the  Union 
cause,  let  him  know  that  her  sentiments  are  those  of  the 
loving  parent  whose  ennobled  story  we  shall  tell;  the 
story  of  William  H.  Terrill  of  Bath  County,  Virginia. 

In  1849  the  father  entered  one  of  his  four  sons  as  a 
cadet  at  West  Point;  in  1854  another  at  the  Institute. 
The  first,  William  Rufus,  attained  the  rank  of  Brig- 
adier-General of  U.  S.  Volunteers  and  after  dis- 
tinguished service  in  the  Federal  Army  laid  down  his 
hfe  in  the  battle  of  Perryville,  October  8,  1862.  The 
second,  James  Barbour,  was  graduated  from  the  Insti- 
tute in  1858,  soon  to  become  a  major  in,  and  then  the 
colonel  of,  the  "gallant"  13th  Virginia  Regiment  in 
command  of  which  he  won  for  himself  the  stars  of  a 
Confederate  brigadier,  and  a  glorious  death  on  the  field 
of  Bethesda  Church,  May  31,  1864.  After  the  war, 
when  brothers  no  longer  stood  arrayed  against  each 
other,  the  bodies  of  William  and  James,  whose  swords 
were  sheathed  forever,  were  brought  by  the  stricken 
father  to  the  home  of  their  boyhood  and  laid  in  a  single 
grave,  where  they  rest  in  the  embrace  of  eternal  peace. 
But  above  their  heroic  remains  and  that  single  grave. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  137 

there  stands  a  stone  upon  which  may  be  read  the  in- 
scription: "This  monument  erected  by  their  father. 
God  alone  knows  which  was  right." 

God  alone  knew  which  ones  were  right,  but  ere  Vir- 
ginia actually  seceded  men  had  begun  to  anticipate  the 
act  and  prepared  to  array  themselves  under  the 
standards  which  already  waved  defiant  in  the  heated 
breeze.  Already  those  cadets  loyal  to  the  Union  had 
withdrawn  from  the  Institute,  and  himdreds  of  gradu- 
ates were  seeking  military  office  in  the  South. 

It  was  a  striking  justification  of  the  faith  which  Vir- 
ginia had  reposed,  during  the  past  twenty  years,  in  her 
School  of  Arms,  that  the  first  military  organization  she 
sent  afield,  and  before  she  seceded,  was  commanded  by 
an  old  cadet.  Captain  Reuben  Lindsay  Walker,  a 
graduate  of  the  Class  of  1845.  He  had  been  a  civil 
engineer  for  some  years  after  leaving  the  Institute,  and 
had  finally  settled  upon  a  farm  in  New  Kent  County. 
Upon  visiting  Richmond,  he  was  accosted  by  Mr.  John 
Purcell,  a  wealthy  citizen  who  had  with  his  own  means 
uniformed  and  equipped  the  battery  named  after  him- 
self. Knowing  Walker's  fitness  for  command,  he  insisted 
on  his  accepting  a  commission  as  captain,  without  giving 
him  time  to  return  home  to  bid  his  wife  farewell;  and  it 
was  nearly  a  year  before  he  saw  his  family  again,  for 
the  battery  was  ordered  to  the  neighborhood  of  Aquia 
Creek  immediately  after  the  State  seceded.  It  was 
armed  with  six  of  the  Parrott  field  gims  which  the  Com- 
missioners had  purchased  on  Jackson's  recommendation, 
and  received  its  baptism  of  fire  in  the  battle  of  First 
Manassas  where  Walker  distinguished  himself  by  ex- 
ploding a  shell  on  the  stone  bridge  over  which  the  enemy 
was  retreating,  adding  greatly  to  the  confusion  of  the 
rout  by  turning  over  a  number  of  gun  carriages  and 
vehicles  which  blocked  the  bridge.  Reuben  Lindsay 
Walker  afterwards  became  Chief  of  Artillery,  3d  Corps, 
and  in  1864,  after  serving  throughout  the  greater  part 
of  the  war  as  a  colonel,  was  finally  promoted  Brigadier- 
General  of  Artillery.     There  were  but  four  officers  of 


138  The  Military  Histoby  of 

that  grade  in  the  Artillery  of  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia,  the  others, — Pendleton,  Long  and  Alexander, 
— all  being  West  Pointers. 

It  was  not  until  April  17th  that  Virginia  seceded 
from  the  Union.  That  night,  the  Governor  directed  the 
Adjutant-General  to  order  Colonel  Smith  to  report  in 
Richmond.  On  reaching  the  capital,  Colonel  Smith 
was  informed  that  the  Convention  of  Virginia  had  ap- 
pointed a  "Council  of  Three,"  upon  the  nomination  of 
the  Governor,  to  aid,  counsel  and  advise  him  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  his  executive  authority,  in  the  emergency  upon 
the  State. 

This  Coimcil  was  composed  of  the  following  mem- 
bers: 

Hon.  John  J.  Allen,  President  of  the  Court  of  Ap- 
peals of  Virginia. 

Commodore  Matthew  Fontaine  Maury,  late  Superin- 
tendent, U.  S.  Observatory. 

Colonel  Francis  H.  Smith,  Superintendent,  Virginia 
Military  Institute. 

Later,  the  Council  was  augmented  by  the  addition  of 
Hon.  R.  L.  Montague,  President  of  the  Convention, 
and  General  Thomas  S.  Haymond. 

In  order  to  show  how  imminent  the  probability  of  a 
call  upon  the  Corps  of  Cadets  appeared  to  the  Acting 
Superintendent,  after  Colonel  Smith  was  summoned 
to  Richmond,  the  following  order  is  here  given : 

"Headquarters  Virginia   Mil.    Inst., 

"April  18,  1861. 
"Order — No.  61. 

"The  following  is  the  order  of  exercises  until  further  orders : 

"Drill  at  Battery  daily,  from  5:30  to  6:30  p.  m. 

"2nd  Class  Mil.  Engineering,  from  8  to  10  a.  m. 

"4th  Class,  Inf'ty  Tactics,  from  8  to  10  and  2  to  3. 

"3rd  Class  Art.  Tactics,  from  9  to  10  a.  m. 

"4th  Class  Mortar  and  Rifle  Cannon  Drill,  6  to  7  a.  m. 

"Battalion  Drill,  from  3  to  4  p.  M.  daily. 

"Artillery  Tactics,  8  to  9  a.  m.  daily. 

"Strategy,  from  10  to  11  daily. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  139 

"Light  Infantry,  from  10  to  11  a.  m. 

"First  and  Second  class  in  the  Laboratory,  from  11   to  1. 

"Bv  order  of  Major  Preston, 

"T.  M.  Semmes, 

"Adjutant  V.  M.  I." 

From  a  perusal  of  this  order  it  is  not  difficult  to 
understand  what  were  the  expectations  of  all. 

The  same  day,  the  authorities  of  Washington  College 
applied  for  a  detail  of  officers  and  cadets  to  instruct  the 
"Liberty  Hall"  Volunteers,  a  company  recruited  from 
among  the  College  students.  To  this  work  Major 
Williamson,  Captain  Hardin,  Lieutenants  Henderson, 
and  Semmes,  and  such  cadets  as  might  be  required  by 
them,  were  assigned  and  the  Conmiandant  was  directed 
to  issue  from  the  Arsenal  such  flint-lock  muskets  as  the 
College  company  might  need. 

After  consultation  with  the  Council,  it  was  deemed 
advisable  by  the  Governor  to  establish  a  Camp  of  In- 
struction in  the  vicinity  of  Richmond  for  the  local 
troops,  and  to  utilize  the  cadets  the  services  of  whom  had 
been  tendered  by  the  Superintendent,  as  drill-masters. 
This  decision  was  reached  during  the  late  afternoon  of 
April  20th,  and,  early  the  next  morning,  the  following 
telegraphic  dispatch  was  received  in  Lexington: 

"Richmond,  April  20,  1861. 

"Send  courier  to  Major  Preston  immediately  to  send  Corps  of 
Cadets  to  Richmond.  Let  inefficient  cadets  remain  to  aid  as  guard, 
and  get  volunteers  from  Lexington  to  aid  as  guard.  Bring  down 
all  the  ordnance  stores  with  full  supply  of  ammunition.  Major 
Gilham  and  Mr.  Catlett  will  report  here,  without  delay. 

"Wm.  H.  Richardson, 

"Adjutant-General." 

And,  now,  let  us  read  the  order  immediately  published 
by  Major  Preston  announcing  the  receipt  of  this  dis- 
patch : 

"When  the  muster  is  held  for  men  who  have  souls  to  defend 
their  native  soil  from  violation,  insult  and  subjugation,  the  heart 
of  every  Virginian  responds  to  the  voice,  and,  with  stern  delight, 
he  answers,  'Here !' 


140  The  Military  History  of 

"Words  are  not  necessary  now  to  stimulate. 

"The  Corps  of  Cadets  will  prove  their  birth  and  breeding,  and 
exhibit  to  Virginia  the  work  of  her  favorite  Institute.  The  cadet 
will  not  fail  to  manifest  the  advantage  which  the  military  training 
gives  to  him  over  those  not  less  brave  than  himself.  The  Corps 
will  go  forth  the  pride  of  its  friends,  the  hope  of  the  State,  and 
the  terror  of  her  foes.  May  the  blessing  of  the  God  of  Hosts  rest 
upon  every  one  who  is  battling  in  this  holy  cause ! 

"The  march  will  be  performed  as  directed  by  special  order. 

"In  the  march,  the  Corps  will  be  under  the  command  of  Major 
Jackson.  Major  Colston  is  assigned  to  duty  as  Acting  Comman- 
dant of  Cadets,  and  will  report  to  Major  Jackson.  lieutenant 
Cunningham  will  act  as  Assistant  Commandant  of  Cadets,  and  will 
report  to  Major  Colston.  Lieutenant  McDonald  is  assigned  to  the 
Artillery,  and  will  report  to  Major  Jackson.  Lieutenant  Semmes 
will  accompany  the  Corps  as  Adjutant. 

"Dr.  R.  L.  Madison,  Surgeon,  and  Dr.  J.  R.  Page,  Assistant 
Surgeon,  will  comprise  the  Medical  Staff.  Assistant  Surgeon  Page 
will  be  with  the  Corps  on  the  march. 

"Commissary  Gibbs  will  accompany  the  Corps  as  far  as 
Staunton. 

"By  order  of  the  Adjutant-General,  Lieutenants  McCausland 
and  Shipp  will  remain  here  to  raise  companies. 

"The  details  will  be  prepared,  as  heretofore  ordered,  and  be 
ready  to  be  inspected  at  10  o'clock. 

"At  12:30  o'clock  they  will  be  formed  to  march.  Dinner  at 
12  o'clock. 

"The  following  detail  is  made  of  cadets  to  form  a  guard  of  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute. 

"By  order  of  Major  Preston, 

"T.  M.  Semmes, 

"Adjutant." 

Then  followed  a  detail  of  48  of  the  younger,  and  less 
experienced,  cadets  to  remain  at  the  Institute. 

One  may  well  imagine  the  elation  of  those  selected  to 
go  with  "Old  Jack"  to  Richmond,  and  the  bitter 
chagrin  of  the  yomiger  lads,  drafted  from  among  their 
fellows,  to  remain  in  Barracks.  The  joys  and  the  bitter- 
ness of  that  hour  can  not  be  recorded  in  history. 

Long  before  the  appointed  hour  the  Corps  assembled 
and  chafed  with  youthful  impatience  at  the  delay,  as 
Major  Jackson  paced  back  and  forth  in  front  of  the 
Washington  Statue.  "Let  us  go,  let  us  go,"  the  ardent 
youth  cried.     "When  the  clock  strikes  the  hour  we  will 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  141 

march,  and  not  until  then,"  their  stern  commander  re- 
pHed,  and  ere  the  hour  ceased  to  strike,  the  sharp  order, 
"For-ward — March"  rang  out  upon  the  glorious  spring 
air  from  Major  Jackson's  lips.  Jackson  was  very 
much  annoyed  by  the  persistent  and  impatient  im- 
portimities  of  the  cadets  to  move  off.  To  show  them  he 
had  no  intention  of  moving  imtil  the  appointed  time, 
he  sent  to  the  mess-hall  for  a  mess  stool,  and  on  it  he 
took  his  seat  by  the  statue.  That  stool  he  took  with  him 
to  Richmond,  and  all  through  his  campaigns.  It  is  now 
in  the  possession  of  the  family  of  General  Pendleton  in 
Lexington. 

It  was  now  that  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  w^as 
to  subserve  the  distinctive  purpose  of  its  creation,  for 
Governor  Letcher,  thoroughh^  familiar  with  the  School, 
its  military  traditions,  its  noble  ideals,  and  the  pecuhar 
efficiency  of  the  Corps,  by  reason  of  his  residence  in 
Lexington,  and  his  intimate  association  with  the  officers 
of  the  Institute,  had  ordered  the  Corps  to  proceed  to 
Riclimond  to  provide  drill-masters  for  the  volunteers, 
and  to  impart  to  the  raw  soldiery  of  the  South  the 
principles  contained  in  Gilham's  Manual. 

Dangers  were  thickening  rapidly  around  the  State. 
Invasion  by  overwhelming  numbers  seemed  imminent. 
Norfolk,  Richmond,  Alexandria,  and  Harper's  Ferry 
were  threatened.  Such  was  the  condition  of  affairs 
when  the  Corps  entered  upon  the  fulfillment  of  the 
high  mission  for  which  it  had  been  so  earnestly  prepar- 
ing the  past  twenty-two  years. 

To  console  the  heartbroken  youths  who  remained  be- 
hind,— whose  misery  was  as  abject  as  their  disappoint- 
ment was  keen, — Major  Preston  pubhshed  during  the 
afternoon  an  order  assigning  Major  Crutchfield  to  duty 
as  Acting  Commandant  of  Cadets,  and  Captain  Hardin 
as  his  Assistant. 

"The  whole  Corps  is  now  in  active  service,  and  the  detail  made 
for  the  post,  is  made  by  the  same  order  from  the  Adjutant-General 
of  Virginia,  which  put  on  the  march  those  who  have  just  left  us. 
Those  who  remain  are  doing  duty  to  Virginia  as  really,  and  it  may 
be  as  efficiently,  as  those  who  are  gone.     It  is  not  the  service  that 


142  The  Military  History  of 

anv  one  of  us  would  prefer.  But  the  soldier  who  is  prepared  to 
do  only  such  duty  as  pleases  him,  is  not  to  be  trusted.  The  soldier 
that  would  desert  a  post,  would  fly  in  battle." 

But  the  order  reciting  the  foregoing  was  poor  con- 
solation for  the  httle  band  held  in  Lexington,  and  the 
utmost  discontent  among  its  members  was  manifested, 
without,  however,  any  indication  of  insubordination,  or 
neglect  of  duty. 

The  following  day,  the  "Rockbridge  Greys,"  a  local 
volunteer  company.  Captain  Updike  commanding,  was 
consolidated  with  the  remaining  cadets,  and  military 
exercises  for  all,  and  academic  duty  for  the  cadets, 
resumed. 

As  the  Corps  crossed  the  bridge  over  the  North  River, 
and  ascended  the  hills  beyond,  on  the  day  of  its  de- 
parture, a  lingering  look  from  every  eye  was  cast  be- 
hind at  the  fading  outlines  of  Barracks,  which  like  a 
great,  gray  castle  crowned  the  distant  plateau.  How 
many  cadets  have  seen  those  castellated  walls  thus  vanish 
from  their  view!  But  have  any  lost  the  mental  picture 
of  those  martial  halls  in  which  the  heart-aches  and  joys 
of  youth  combine  to  make  the  memory  of  cadet-days, 
whether  bitter  or  sweet,  yet  glorious? 

"There,  our  laudable  boyish  ambitions  had  been 
aroused,  our  hopes  kindled,  and  our  mental  and  physical 
manhood  developed;  there,  each  was  independent  of  his 
fellows,  yet  all  were  a  band  of  brothers."  There,  each 
had  learned  how  to  obey,  and  hence  went  forth  into  an 
unknown  world,  knowing  the  secret  of  command. 

Two  hundred  strong,  the  Corps  pressed  on  towards 
Staunton,  the  battery  armed  with  the  four  6-pounder 
cadet  guns,  and  the  baggage  wagons  rumbling  on  be- 
hind, in  a  vain  effort  to  keep  apace  with  the  unwearying 
feet  of  the  boy  infantry  in  the  van.  Ten  miles  out,  and 
a  farm  wagon  was  impressed  to  carry  the  cadet  knap- 
sacks; but^no  thought  of  a  bivouac  short  of  Staunton 
was  entertained,  for  this  was  the  first  of  "Stonewall" 
Jackson's  foot-cavalry!  Staunton,  thirty-eight  miles 
away,  was  reached  at  10  o'clock  that  night. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  143 

Major  Jackson  maj^  have  made  longer  marches,  and 
we  know  he  commanded  larger  forces,  in  later  days; 
but,  of  this  we  may  be  sure,  he  never  commanded  a  more 
gallant  band,  or  one  which  possessed  a  greater  nerve, 
than  that  which  he  led  over  the  blue  hills  of  Rockbridge 
and  Augusta,  out  from  the  confines  of  youth,  and  into 
the  world  of  glory  beyond,  on  the  21st  of  April,  1861; 
for  it  was  that  same  body  of  Southern  youth  that  later 
formed  the  backbone  of  his  victorious  armies,  bearina' 
the  eagles  of  his  triumphs  and  the  burden  of  his  fame. 

Footsore  and  weary,  the  cadets  slept  well  the  night  of 
their  first  real  day  of  military  service,  quartered  in  the 
hotels  of  Staunton,  but  arose  bright  and  ready  for  the 
work  of  the  next  morning.  First,  the  guns  and  baggage 
had  to  be  loaded  on  flat  cars,  and  everything  carefully 
packed  for  the  movement  by  rail  to  Richmond.  This 
done,  several  hours  were  allowed  them  to  stroll  about 
the  town  in  their  natty  gray  uniforms.  Staunton  in 
those  days  boasted  of  a  number  of  fine  schools  for  girls, 
as  it  does  at  the  present  time;  and  the  fair  pupils  with 
their  matronly  guardians  were  permitted  for  once  to 
mingle  with  the  gallant  soldier  lads,  ere  they  departed. 

At  last,  the  "Assembly"  sounded  and  the  Corps  en- 
trained amid  the  cheers  and  huzzas  of  the  populace.  As 
the  troop  train,  always  an  inspiring  sight  to  the  citizen, 
pulled  out  with  its  brave  passengers,  many  were  the 
tears,  the  fond  farewells,  the  longing  glances,  and  "the 
girls  they  left  behind  them." 

All  went  well  until  the  heavy  train  reached  the  Blue 
Ridge  tunnel  on  the  old  Central  Railroad  (now  the 
Chesapeake  and  Ohio).  There,  an  exciting,  and  some- 
what perilous,  catastrophe  occurred.  "The  train  con- 
sisted of  passenger  cars  for  the  officers  and  Corps  and 
flat  cars  for  the  battery  and  baggage.  It  was  a 
'special,'  and  hence  had  no  schedule  time.  When  well 
in  the  tunnel,  which  is  nearly  a  mile  long,  our  engine  was 
derailed.  The  smoke  from  it  filled  the  cars,  and  the 
narrow  space  around  them.  We  could  not  go  forward, 
for  the  engine  and  force  engaged  blocked  the  way;  nor 


144  The  Military  History  of 

could  we  go  back,  as  we  would  be  in  danger  of  being 
left,  as  the  engine  might  be  ready  for  duty  any  minute 
and  would  at  once  pull  out.  To  add  to  our  peril,  another 
train  from  the  direction  whence  we  came  was  about  due, 
as  per  schedule  time,  and  was  liable  to  collide  with 
ours,  in  which  event  results  could  but  be  imagined. 
Thus  we  were  held  veritable  prisoners  for  nearly  two 
hours,  imperiled  by  the  dangers  of  an  oncoming  train 
and  the  suffocating  smoke  from  our  own  engine, — our 
first  lesson  in  the  privation  and  hardships  of  war." 

Soon,  however,  the  derailed  engine  was  righted,  and 
the  train  moved  off,  meeting  with  ovations  all  along  the 
route.  Before  the  Corps  reached  Riclnnond  few  coatees 
were  capable  of  being  buttoned,  for  the  V.  M.  I.  button 
was  then,  as  now,  most  popular  among  the  fair  sex. 

"Late  in  the  afternoon,  Richmond  loomed  up  to  view. 
This  was  another  new  sight,  for  most  of  us  were  from 
rural  districts,  and  had  never  seen  a  city.  From  the 
station  we  marched  to  the  front  of  the  Capitol  Building 
in  Capitol  Square.  Here  the  Corps  was  reviewed  by 
His  Excellency,  the  Governor,  who  made  a  little  talk, 
and  the  compliments  were  pleasing  to  boys  (as  we 
were) .  He  said,  among  other  things,  that  war  was  upon 
us  and  much  depended  upon  our  work  in  preparing  an 
army  for  the  field.  Then,  amid  the  waving  of  handker- 
chiefs by  the  dames  and  maidens,  and  the  huzzas  of  the 
men  and  boys  (a  large  number  of  whom  had  gathered 
to  see  and  greet  us),  we  marched  to  what  was  then 
known  as  the  new  Fair  Grounds,  about  a  mile  west  of 
the  city." 

So  forcibly  did  "Honest  John,"  the  Governor,  pre- 
sent the  needs  of  Virginia  in  his  address,  so  flatteringly 
did  he  refer  to  the  ability  of  the  Corps  to  meet  the  de- 
mands of  the  State,  and  so  seriously  did  he  charge  the 
cadets,  individually  and  collectively,  with  the  great 
responsibilities  imposed  upon  them,  that  no  lad  marched 
away  from  his  inspiring  presence  without  silently 
pledging  himself  to  the  faithful  service  of  his  country. 
Thus  did  the  fledglings,  within  a  brief  hour,  become 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  145 

men  with  the  fullest  responsibilities  of  manhood  and  of 
their  calling. 

The  Corps  was  quartered  in  the  Exhibition  buildings 
surrounded  by  the  beautiful  Fair  Grounds,  which  were 
well  suited  for  a  camp  of  concentration  and  instruction. 
All  arrangements  for  its  accommodation  had  been  per- 
fected in  advance  by  Colonel  Gilham,  by  whose  sug- 
gestion the  camp  had  been  named  after  his  old  friend, 
Colonel  Robert  E.  Lee,  now  the  senior  officer  of  Vir- 
ginia. 

Soon,  General  Magruder,  Jackson's  old  batteiy  com- 
mander, arrived,  and  assumed  charge  of  the  artillery, 
and  immediately  the  undrilled,  undisciplined,  partly  un- 
armed, and  un-uniformed  volunteers  of  Virginia  began 
to  arrive  at  Camp  Lee. 

The  raw  volunteers  afforded  much  amusement  to  the 
well- trained  cadets.  Many  of  them  reported  with 
squirrel  rifles,  shot  guns,  butcher's  knives,  and  ancient 
horse  pistols.  Some  wore  red  shirts  and  coon-skin  caps, 
and  all  were  imbued  with  the  belief  that  the  true  soldier 
must  present  a  dare-devil  aspect  with  the  unkempt 
hair  and  scraggly  beard  of  the  border  ruffian.  To  these 
men  the  trim  cadets  appeared  play-soldiers  and  dandies, 
almost  beneath  their  contempt,  and  they  at  first  re- 
garded the  little  "whipper-snappers"  placed  over  them 
with  the  utmost  disfavor. 

As  the  volunteers  arrived,  were  mustered  into  the 
service,  and  organized  into  regiments,  and  batteries, 
drill-masters  (one  to  a  company)  were  assigned  to 
them  from  the  Corps  of  Cadets.  General  Magruder  at 
once  called  upon  Major  Jackson  to  designate  twelve 
cadets  skilled  in  gunnery  and  artillery  drill  to  be  as- 
signed to  the  difficult  task  of  drilling  and  assisting  in 
organizing  the  light  batteries,  among  which  were  the 
1st,  2d,  and  3d  Companies  of  Richmond  Howitzers,  the 
Richmond  Fayette  Artillery,  and  the  Hampden  Artil- 
lery from  Richmond,  the  Beauregard  Rifles  from 
Lynchburg,  and  other  artillery  organizations  destined 
to  become  famous  in  the  ensuing  war. 


10 


146  The  Military  History  of 

Soon,  Captain  Edward  Porter  Alexander,  recently 
resigned  from  the  U.  S.  Engineers,  already  dis- 
tinguished as  a  former  Commandant  of  West  Point, 
and  as  an  expert  in  the  novel  signal-system  developed 
by  Myer,  arrived  from  the  West,  to  assume  direct 
charge  of  the  Artillery  instruction.  It  was  he  who 
urged  the  organization  of  the  three  batteries  of  Rich- 
mond Howitzers,  commanded  by  Captains  J.  C.  Shields, 
J.  Thompson  Brown,  and  Robert  Stanard,  respec- 
tively, into  a  battalion  with  George  W.  Randolph  as 
Major.  Thus,  the  cadets  were  identified  with  the 
first  battalion  of  Field  Artillery  ever  created  in 
America. 

So  efficient  was  the  work  of  the  cadets,  that  within  a 
few  weeks  the  Confederacy^  was  threatened  with  losing 
their  services  as  drill-masters,  by  reason  of  their  ab- 
sorption into  the  army  as  officers.  Many  of  them 
were  commissioned,  ere  a  month  had  clasped;  but 
enough  remained  at  the  disposal  of  the  authorities  with 
which  to  whip  into  shape  the  20,000  volunteers  as- 
sembled at  Camp  Lee,  and  as  a  just  tribute  to  the  value 
of  tlieir  services  and  of  the  Institute,  the  Convention 
unanimously  adopted  a  most  complimentary  resolution 
in  July,  and  an  allowance  of  $20  a  month,  in  addition  to 
subsistence,  was  made  each  cadet  drill-master. 

In  June,  1861,  there  were  4S3  (467  less  34  dead) 
graduates  of  the  Institute  living,  and  the  vast  majority 
of  those  were  commissioned  officers  in  the  various 
armies  of  the  South  before  the  first  hostile  move  was 
made,  and  this  was  also  true  of  the  654  (741  less  87 
dead)  non-graduates,  among  the  eleves  of  the  School, 
living  then.  July  15,  1861,  the  Superintendent  re- 
ported to  the  Board  that  one- third  of  the  field  officers 
in  the  Volunteers,  and  two-thirds  of  those  in  the  Pro- 
visional Army,  were  graduates  or  ex-cadets,  while  the 
number  of  captains  and  lieutenants  were  in  proportion 
to  the  field  officers.  The  result  was,  that  the  jealousy 
of  the  volunteers  throughout  the  South,  and  especiallj^ 
in  Virginia,  was  aroused,  and  a  thoughtless  prejudice 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  147 

arose  in  the  public  mind  against  the  Virginia  MiKtary 
Institute,  which  was  supposed  to  have  exerted  an  undue 
influence  upon  Governor  Letcher,  in  the  matter  of  miU- 
tary  appointments. 

Such  is  always  the  case  in  a  country  where  no  definite 
military  policy  prevails,  and  no  adequate  provision  for 
defense  is  made,  in  time  of  peace.  Civilians,  who  neces- 
sarily comprise  the  bulk  of  the  army,  when  the  call  for 
volunteers  is  made,  ever  display  the  most  unreasonable 
prejudice  against  men  better  equipped  than  themselves 
to  lead.  They  ignore  utterly  the  years  of  devoted  ser- 
vice and  preparation  of  trained  soldiers,  asserting,  in 
their  ignorance  and  self-confidence,  their  own  natural 
abilities  to  command.  By  some  illogical  process  of 
reasoning  that  sets  at  naught  the  history  of  war,  they 
even  disparage  those  who  have  devoted  years  to  the 
study  of  military  science.  They  point  with  conviction 
to  such  far-fetched  examples  as  Cleon  and  Narses,  not 
realizing  that  "pestilent  demagogues  and  mutilated 
guardians  of  Eastern  zenanas  have  not  always  been  suc- 
cessful in  war,"  and,  in  their  conceit,  earnestly  believe 
that  they,  if  but  the  opportunity  be  given  them,  will, 
like  Cincinnattus,  prove  the  saviours  of  their  country. 
They  can  not,  as  a  rule,  comprehend  that  untrained 
soldiers  who  have  attained  success  in  war  are  the  ex- 
ceptions, which  prove  the  rule,  and  if  they  do  perceive 
the  inexorable  truths  which  history  should  impress  upon 
us,  they  confidently  believe  themselves  to  be  the  ex- 
ceptions. 

So,  it  was  that  Gilliam's  and  Jackson's  services  were 
forgotten,  and  when  they  were  nominated  for  promo- 
tion as  colonels  in  May  by  Governor  Letcher,  many 
of  the  members  of  the  Legislature  inquired,  "Who  is 
this  Thomas  J.  Jackson?" 

"I  can  tell  you  who  he  is,"  Hon.  Samuel  McDowell 
Moore,  of  Rockbridge  replied,  "If  you  put  him  in  com- 
mand at  Norfolk,  he  will  never  leave  it  alive,  unless  you 
order  him  to  do  so." 


148  The  Military  History  or 

While  the  hue  and  cry  against  them  continued,  the 
cadets  continued  to  "shoot  disciphne"  into  the  raw 
volunteers  entrusted  to  their  charge,  and  to  secure  com- 
missions whenever  possible.  Drilling  the  volunteers  was 
a  role  which  suited  them  exactly,  for  they  were  used  to 
it.  The  drill  of  "rats"  was  a  pastime  from  which  every 
upper  classman  had  graduated  with  honors,  and  the 
"plebes"  were  overjoyed  that  their  opportunity  to  en- 
gage in  the  sport  had  at  last  come.  Many  were  the  ludi- 
crous sights  witnessed  at  Camp  Lee  as  the  trim,  sharp- 
voiced  youngsters,  perfectly  drilled  and  disciplined  them- 
selves, trotted  the  surprised  recruits,  panting  and  weary, 
about  the  spacious  drill-grounds  of  Camp  Lee.  Many 
were  the  poor  country  yokels,  who,  compelled  to  bathe 
and  shear  their  hirsute  badges  of  military  dignity,  re- 
belled in  spirit,  but  obeyed  the  tyrannical  striplings  who 
lorded  it  over  them,  saying  all  the  while  among  them- 
selves, "Surely  this  is  not  war!" 

But  as  the  days  wore  on,  and  a  semblance  of  discipline 
began  to  be  detected  among  the  volunteers, — then  the 
true  indications  of  the  soldier  in  their  improved  carriage 
and  drill, — there  was  less  grimibling;  and  rapidly  con- 
tempt was  superseded  by  the  highest  respect  for  the 
gray-clad  martinets  from  Lexington. 

At  first,  the  camp  was  intended  for  Virginia  troops 
only ;  but  the  value  of  the  system  of  instruction  there  in 
operation  was  so  apparent  to  all,  that  it  was  made  the 
rendezvous  of  troops  from  other  states,  as  well.  This 
increased  the  numbers  so  greatly  that  not  only  the  new, 
but  the  old.  Fair  Grounds  had  to  be  utilized,  and  the 
Corps  was  taxed  to  the  utmost  in  its  special  and  im- 
portant work. 

The  general  health  record  of  the  Corps  while  in  the 
Camp  of  Instruction  was  excellent;  only  three  serious 
cases  of  illness  occurring  between  April  23d  and  June 
30th.  Early  in  May  an  epidemic  of  laryngitis  and 
opthalmia,  and  soon  after  of  catarrh  broke  out  among 
the  volunteers,  due  to  unfavorable  weather  conditions. 
Soon  followed  measles,  diarrhoea,  and  dysentery,  all  of 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  149 

which  played  havoc  with  the  vokmteer  troops ;  but  in  the 
entire  Corps  but  9  cases  of  measles,  26  of  diarrhoea,  .5  of 
dysentery,  and  26  of  laryngitis  and  opthalmia  oc- 
curred, facts  which  strikingly  testifj^  to  the  value  of 
trained  soldiers,  always  more  or  less  exempt  from  the 
camp  diseases  which  beset  raw  troops. 

How  fortunate  was  the  South  to  possess  such  an  as- 
set as  the  Virginia  Military  Institute!  Only  a  man  of 
military  experience  can  estimate  the  value  of  its  services 
at  this  time.  Yet,  the  historian  has  completely  ignored 
its  work,  and  has  failed  to  grasp  the  real  reasons  for  the 
initial  success  of  the  Confederate  forces  in  Virginia. 
He  has  failed  to  perceive,  in  his  scrutiny  of  the  natural 
characteristics  of  the  Southern  volunteers,  the  real  rea- 
son for  their  superiority  over  the  men  of  the  North  in  the 
early  days  of  the  war  in  Virginia.  He  has  failed  to 
detect,  standing  there  all  along  the  Confederate  battle- 
line  at  Manassas,  500  trained  young  officers,  and  the 
200  drill-masters  of  Camp  Lee,  who  poured  out  from 
the  embattled  Barracks  at  Lexington,  upon  the  first 
call  to  arms ! 

Nor  was  the  Institute  unduly  favored  by  Governor 
Letcher  in  his  appointments.  It  was  not  until  the  re- 
organization of  the  army,  in  the  spring  of  1862,  that 
Institute  men  came  to  their  own.  Until  that  time,  the 
higher  grades  had  been  very  generally  confined  to  re- 
tired officers  of  the  Old  Army,  to  those  who  resigned 
their  commissions  to  join  the  Confederate  arms,  and  to 
politicians.  Thus,  Institute  men  were  at  first  over- 
slaughed, irrespective  of  their  abilities,  except  with  re- 
spect to  the  number  of  commissions  assigned  them. 
Governor  Letcher,  in  his  report  of  June  17,  1861,  to  the 
Convention  of  Virginia,  stated  that  over  one-half  of  the 
recruiting  officers  and  the  junior  officers  were  appointed 
from  among  the  graduates  of  the  Institute.* 

The  records  also  show  that  of  the  56  regiments  of 
Virginia  Infantry  and  Heavy  Artillery  mustered  into 
the  service  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  in 


•Rebellion    Records,    Series    IV,   Vol.    1,    p.    390. 


150  The  Military  History  of 

1861,  20  were  commanded  by  graduates  of  the  Institute, 
and  that  two  of  the  eight  cavahy  regiments  were  also 
commanded  by  former  cadets.  Tlie  number  of  Heu- 
tenant-colonels  and  majors  were  at  this  time  out  of  all 
proportion  to  the  number  of  regimental  commanders, 
but  as  time  wore  on,  they  forged  rapidly  to  the  front. 
Thus,  during  the  war,  the  Institute  furnished  the  Con- 
federacy 92  colonels,  64  lieutenant-colonels,  107  majors, 
304  captains,  and  221  lieutenants.  It  is  estimated  that 
at  one  time  nearly  two-thirds  of  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia  was  officered  by  field-officers  from  the 
Institute. 

During  the  months  of  May  and  June,  and  early  July, 
many  inspiring  spectacles  were  witnessed  by  the  cadets 
at  Camp  Lee,  among  which  was  the  presentation  of  a 
new  Confederate  flag,  made  by  the  ladies  of  Richmond, 
to  the  18th  Virginia  Regiment.  There  were  many  Old 
Cadets  in  this  fine  regiment,  and  the  Corps,  therefore, 
felt  especial  pride  in  its  recognition  by  Mr.  Davis. 

"This  flag,"  said  he,  "is  our  symbol  of  liberty,  and  on 
behalf  of  the  ladies  of  the  capital  of  our  nation,  I  gave 
it  into  the  hands  that  will  proudly  bear  it  to  victory,  and 
never  let  it  trail  in  the  dust." 

The  cadets  had  had  occasion  to  see  Mr.  Davis  before 
this,  during  the  many  visits  which  he  made  to  the  camp, 
attended  by  his  brilliant  stafl*;  and,  while  they  had  felt 
the  generally  entertained  respect  for  the  President  of 
the  Confederacy,  it  was  not  until  now  that  they  were 
spell-bound  by  the  power  of  the  man.  In  the  excite- 
ment of  their  work,  they  had  found  little  time  to  dwell 
upon  the  virtues  of  the  new  nation;  but  Mr.  Davis's 
speech  aroused  in  them  the  greatest  enthusiasm  for  the 
new  flag,  which  for  four  long  years  they  were  to  follow, 
and  first  made  them  realize  they  were  soldiers  of  the 
new  nation  of  which  that  flag  was  symbolic. 

Other  prominent  statesmen  visited  the  camp,  and  ad- 
dressed the  troops;  among  whom  was  the  venerable 
John  Tyler,  veteran  of  1812,  former  Governor  of  Vir- 
ginia,  and  Ex-President  of  the   United   States.     All 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  lol 

were  optimistic  of  the  outcome  of  the  war  and  each 
added  his  coal  of  fire  to  the  enthusiasm  of  the  cadets. 

The  work  of  Instruction,  in  so  far  as  the  Corps  was 
concerned,  was  wholly  in  the  hands  of  Gilham,  who  had 
been  promoted  Colonel  of  the  21st  Virginia  Regiment 
late  in  April.  Jackson  only  remained  with  the  Corps 
a  few  days  after  its  arrival  in  Richmond;  for  on  April 
26th,  he  was  promoted  Colonel  of  Virginia  Volun- 
teers, and  immediately  departed  to  take  command  of 
the  force  gathering  at  Harper's  Ferry,  while  the  Act- 
ing Commandant,  Major  Colston,  was  detailed  in 
charge  of  the  Camp  of  Instruction  at  Norfolk. 

By  the  time  Joseph  E.  Johnston  had  assembled  the 
2d  Corps,  or  Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  in  the  Valley; 
Beauregard,  the  1st  Corps,  or  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
at  Manassas;  and  Magruder,  the  Army  of  the  Penin- 
sula, at  Yorktown,  there  were  few  troops  left  at  Camp 
Lee,  and,  therefore,  few  cadet  drill-masters.  The  Corps 
had  been  practically  dissolved  by  the  appointment  of 
cadets  as  officers,  the  attaching  of  those  left  to  com- 
panies in  the  field,  and  the  ordering  of  a  few  of  the 
young  men  back  to  the  Institute. 

At  the  Institute  work  had  been  promptly  resmned,  as 
we  have  seen.  Many  of  the  cadets  from  distant  States 
which  had  been  left  behind  resigned,  in  order  to  return 
to  their  homes,  and  there  join  the  army.  A  few  returned 
from  Richmond,  and  about  100  new  cadets  were  ad- 
mitted after  the  1st  of  May.  By  the  end  of  that  month, 
there  were  over  100  cadets  in  Barracks,  who  were  being 
thoroughly  instructed  in  Field  Fortifications,  Artillery, 
and  Infantry  Tactics,  and  in  the  drill  of  all  these 
branches. 

During  the  summer  of  1861,  although  the  great  bulk 
of  the  arms  had  been  issued  from  the  Arsenal  at  the 
Institute,  there  were  3,600  stand  of  muskets,  8  6-pound 
iron  guns,  15,900  pounds  of  cannon,  and  125  pounds  of 
rifle  powder,  and  600  rounds  of  fixed  ammunition  for 
the  cadet  battery,  including  round  shot  and  canister, 
while  the  employees  of  the  Institute,  imder  the  direction 


152  The  Military  History  or 

of  the  Quartermaster,  turned  out  10,000  small  arms 
cartridges  per  day  for  the  use  of  the  army. 

Early  in  June,  it  was  rmnored  that  a  raiding  party  of 
Federal  Cavalry  was  approaching  Lexington,  with  the 
intention  of  destroying  the  Institute  and  the  Arsenal. 
The  report  was  absurd,  and,  though  not  credited.  Major 
Preston,  Acting  Superintendent,  took  the  precaution  of 
providing  for  the  defense  of  the  Institute.  Ten  rounds 
of  ammunition  were  issued  each  cadet;  an  artillery  de- 
tachment was  designated  and  placed  under  Lieutenant 
Hunter,  Class  of  1861.  Major  Crutchfield  was  directed 
to  move  out  and  meet  the  enemy  with  an  infantry  de- 
tacliment  composed  of  half  of  the  cadets,  and  Captain 
Hardin,  to  defend  Barracks  with  those  remaining. 
Lieutenant  Morgan  was  assigned  to  duty  with  the 
"Liberty  Hall"  Volunteers,  Lieutenant  Ross  with 
Captain  Gatman's  local  company,  and  Lieutenant 
Smith  and  Lynch,  and  Surgeon  Meade,  to  the  staff  of 
the  Acting  Superintendent,  the  last  being  directed  to 
prepare  the  Hospital  to  receive  the  wounded! 

Needless  to  add,  nothing  came  of  this  wild  rumor,  for 
there  was  no  enemy  within  reach  of  Lexington,  at  this 
time.  The  incident  is  narrated,  however,  as  one  of 
many,  to  illustrate  the  state  of  mind  of  the  cadets,  from 
first  to  last.  The  wonder  is  that  any  remained;  and 
none  would  have  done  so  had  parental  orders  not  com- 
pelled them  to  forego  the  field  of  glory. 

Another  incident  which  created  a  marked  impression 
upon  the  young  soldiers,  was  the  announcement  in  May 
of  the  death  of  Captain  John  Q.  Marr.  Entering  the 
military  service  in  April,  he  was  killed  while  gallantly 
defending  an  outpost  at  Fairfax  Courthouse,  June  1, 
1861,  and  shed  "the  first  blood  of  the  war,"  according 
to  the  report  of  the  Adjutant- General  of  Virginia. 

Thus,  was  the  seriousness  of  the  war  brought  home  to 
the  cadets,  further  adding  to  their  restlessness  and  long- 
ing to  take  the  field. 

Thursday,  June  13th,  was  appointed  a  day  of  national 
fasting  and  humiliation  by  the  proclamation  of  Presi- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  153 

dent  Davis,  and,  accordingly,  all  duties  at  the  Institute 
were  suspended  by  Major  Preston  who  in  orders  paid 
the  tribute  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  to  the 
memory  of  Captain  Marr,  in  these  words: 

"The  Acting  Superintendent  takes  this  occasion  to 
announce  officially  the  death  of  Captain  J.  Q.  Marr,  of 
Fauquier  County.  He  was  one  of  the  oldest  Alumni  of 
the  Institute,  having  graduated  in  1846,  the  second  dis- 
tinguished graduate  of  his  class.  He  devoted  his 
talents  to  the  pursuits  of  civil  life,  and  held  important 
and  influential  offices  in  his  county.  At  the  first  call  of 
his  county  for  his  services  as  a  soldier,  he  seized  the 
arms  whose  use  he  had  laid  aside  but  not  forgotten.  He 
was  offered  a  commission  as  Lieutenant-Colonel,  but  he 
chose  to  head  the  company  he  had  raised.  The  enemy 
made  a  sudden  attack  upon  the  post  where  he  was 
stationed,  and  he  immediately  exposed  himself,  regard- 
less of  danger,  to  the  fire  of  the  foe,  when  he  was  pierced 
to  the  heart  by  an  ill-fated  ball. 

"The  Institute  with  pride  has  beheld  the  graduates 
hastening  to  arms  in  order  to  redeem  the  j^ledge  of 
fidelity  to  Virginia,  that  makes  the  motto  upon  the  flag 
of  the  Corps.  To  the  Institute,  too,  has  been  accorded 
the  sad,  yet  honorable,  distinction,  that  the  first  officer 
who  has  laid  down  his  life  on  the  altar  of  his  country 
has  had  his  name  recorded  on  our  Register  with  dis- 
tinction. Such  examples  serve  their  noble  purpose  when 
they  stimulate  to  imitation.  Such  imitation  is  the 
noblest  tribute  we  can  pay  to  the  brave  dead." 

In  the  latter  part  of  June,  it  was  announced  that 
Colonel  Smith  proposed  to  raise  a  regiment  for  the  field 
during  the  summer,  and  that  graduates,  ex-cadets,  and 
such  cadets  as  were  permitted  by  their  parents  to  join 
the  army,  would  be  welcomed  by  him  as  officers — an 
invitation  which  many  accepted. 

The  work  of  the  Institute  was  not  suspended  until 
July  18th.  Notice  had  been  given  the  Acting  Superin- 
tendent by  the  professors  and  assistant  professors,  who 
had  been  all  the  spring  and  summer  laboriously  dis- 


154  The  Military  History  of 

charging  the  new  duties  which  had  devolved  upon  them, 
that  after  the  1st  of  July,  the  date  on  which  the  academic 
year  terminated,  they  would  tender  their  services  to  the 
governor  for  active  and  permanent  service  in  the  field. 
Great  credit  is  due  Major  Preston,  who  had  returned 
from  Harper's  Ferry  where  he  might  have  remained  on 
Jackson's  staff,  and  to  Major  Crutchfield  and  Captain 
Hardin,  for  their  unselfish  labors  up  to  this  time.  The 
two  last,  without  the  advantages  of  text-books,  had  pre- 
pared a  course  of  lectures  in  the  various  branches,  of  the 
military  art.  Lieutenants  Ross,  Morgan,  Lynch, 
Hunter,  and  Smith,  had  also  rendered  valuable  aid  as 
tactical  officers.  But  they  could  no  longer  be  restrained, 
and  although  there  were  100  cadets  present  for  duty, 
a  number  of  candidates  present  and  applying  for  ad- 
mission, and  yet  others  on  the  way  to  enter,  there  was 
no  other  alternative  than  to  decline  to  receive  new 
cadets,  to  accept  the  resignation  of  all  those  recently 
admitted,  and  to  place  the  others  on  furlough  until 
September  1st. 

Now,  let  us  see  what  became  of  the  officers  of  the 
Institute. 

The  Superintendent,  after  the  dissolution  of  the 
Council  of  State,  July  16th,  was  assigned  to  duty  as 
Colonel  of  the  9th  Virginia  Regiment,  Heavy  Artillery, 
in  command  of  the  Craney  Island  defenses  in  Norfolk 
Harbor.  The  Commandant  had  been  promoted  Colonel, 
21st  Virginia  Infantry,  and  was  now  preparing  to  join 
his  command  in  the  Valley.  Major  Jackson  had  been 
appointed  Colonel  of  Volunteers  April  26th,  assigned 
to  the  command  of  the  troops  at  Harper's  Ferry,  and 
promoted  Brigadier-General  June  17th.  Major 
Williamson  had  been  assigned  to  duty  in  April,  as 
Major  of  the  Corps  of  Engineers,  under  his  academic 
commission,  and  had  since  been  busily  engaged  fortify- 
ing the  line  of  the  Rappahannock,  and,  later  on,  the  de- 
fenses near  Manassas  Junction,  having  been  promoted 
Lieutenant-Colonel  of  Engineers  in  early  July.  Major 
Colston  had  been  promoted  Colonel  of  the  16th  Virginia 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  155 

Infantry,  and  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Camp  of 
Instruction  at  Norfolk.  Dr.  R.  L.  Madison,  Surgeon, 
had  been  placed  on  duty  as  Medical  Director  of  Camp 
Lee.  Captain  McCausland,  upon  the  special  request  of 
the  people  of  the  Kanawha  Section,  had  been  appointed 
Lieutenant-Colonel  35th  Virginia  Infantry,  and  as- 
signed to  duty  in  the  West.  Lieutenants  Shipp,  Cun- 
ningham, and  McDonald,  had  been  appointed  Captains 
in  the  Provisional  Army,  and  assigned  to  special  duties 
— the  first,  under  the  orders  of  Colonel  Gilham,  as  As- 
sistant Adjutant- General — the  others  under  Jackson  at 
Harper's  Ferry,  Captain  Cunningham,  on  engineer 
duty,  and  Captain  McDonald,  as  Assistant  Inspector- 
General.  Before  the  end  of  the  summer,  Shipp  became 
Major  of  the  21st  Virginia  of  which  Gilham  was  the 
Colonel.  Lieutenant  Semmes  was  retained  at  the  Camp 
of  Instruction  as  Acting  Commandant,  upon  the  relief 
of  Colonel  Colston. 

After  being  relieved  of  duty  at  the  Institute,  Majors 
Preston  and  Crutchfield  were  appointed  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  and  Major  9th  Virginia  Regiment,  respectively, 
Colonel  Smith  commanding,  and  repaired  to  Craney 
Island.  In  October,  however,  Preston  rejoined  Jack- 
son's staff  as  Assistant  Adjutant-General,  Army  of  the 
Valley,  and  soon  Crutchfield,  longing  for  active  sendee, 
transferred  to  the  58th  Virginia  Infantry,  with  the 
rank  of  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  was  ordered  to  West 
Virginia,  where  he  served  under  General  Lee.  During 
the  fall  he  was  tendered  the  colonelcy  of  the  16th  Vir- 
ginia, but  ill-health  forced  him  to  decline  the  pro- 
motion.* 

Captain  M.  B.  Hardin,  like  Crutchfield,  was  also 
appointed  Major  in  the  9th  Virginia  Regiment,  upon 
leaving  Lexington;  Lieutenant  J.  D.  H.  Ross,  Major, 
later  Lieutenant-Colonel  52d  Virginia  Infantiy;  Lieu- 
tenant W.  H.  Morgan,  Adjutant  21st  Virginia  In- 
fantry, later  Captain  and  killed;  and  Lieutenant  O.  C. 

*In  the  spring  of  1862,  he  became  Jackson's  Chief  of  Artillery  (Vice- 
Major  Daniel  Trueheart),  with  the  rank  of  Colonel  of  Artillery:  was  wounded 
at  Chanfcllorsville.  and  killed  at  Sailor's  Creek  in  April,  1865.  after  most 
heroic-  lUid   efficient  service  throughout   the  war. 


156  The  Military  History  of 

Henderson,  First-Lieutenant,  later  Captain  1st  Battal- 
ion Virginia  Infantry. 

Rodes,  who  had  never  served  at  the  Institute  as  a 
full  professor,  had,  meantime,  become  Colonel  of  the 
5th  Alabama,  later  Major- General,  and  was  killed. 

Captain  John  T.  Gibbs  was  placed  in  command  of 
the  "Rockbridge  Greys,"  and  alone  remained  in  charge 
of  the  Institute.  Thus,  it  is  seen,  that  every  officer  of 
the  Institute  had  entered  the  service,  and  that,  by  the 
middle  of  the  summer,  the  faculty  and  the  Corps  had 
dissolved. 

Far  off  in  the  hills  of  Rockbridge,  the  great  Cadet 
Barracks,*  tenanted  only  by  a  few  members  of  the  mi- 
litia, stood  silent  and  all  but  deserted  during  the  fall  and 
winter  of  1861,  a  mournful  reminder  of  the  gallant 
band  which  had  poured  forth  from  its  grim  portals, 
apppealing,  in  its  abandoned  aspect,  to  the  poetess  who 
wrote : 

"They  are  gone !    they  are  gone !     Never  more  shall  they  come 
Witii  no  gap  in  their  ranks  to  this  dearly  loved  home ; 
They  are  gone!    they  are  gone!    from  depression  upspringing. 
Its  bold  onward  flight  the  young  spirit  is  wringing. 
In  memory  still  lingers  the  touching  refrain. 
Of  exulting  farewell,  spoken  once  and  again. 

"Still,  I  see  the  light  form — the  flushed  cheek — the  quick  eye, 
Still,  I  hear  the  firm  tread,  as  'boy  heroes'  sweep  by; 
But  the  mantle  of  evening  from  daylight  is  won, 
And  the  Mother's  worn  heart  looks  in  vain  for  her  son. 
Alas !    for  the  eyes  that  have  scarce  known  a  tear ! 
Alas !    for  the  hopes  that  were  safe  garnered  here ! 

"They  are  gone  !    they  are  gone !     From  terrace  and  hill. 
Of  the  light  springing  footsteps,  the  echo  is  still. 
The  rich  music  of  youth's  wild  exuberance  is  gone; 
Through  this  midnight  of  sorrow,  we  watch  all  alone 
In  a  sickness  of  heart  that  sees  nought  in  their  path 
But  the  Great  Reaper's  Sickle,  the  harvest  of  Death ! 
This  is  feeble  distrust.     It  is  cowardly  fear 
To  linger  thus  idly,  when  danger  is  near. 
Arise — break  its  shackles — look  out  from  this  gloom, 
To  thy  work  bravely  done  will  the  Comforter  come. 


♦Occupied  bv  the  Rockbridge  Greys,  upon  the  departure  of  the  Corps  of 
Cadets  as  a  guard  for  the  Arsenal,  in  which  much  Ordnance  material  was 
stored.      See   Rebellion   Rec,    Series   IV,   Vol.   1.   pp.    387-388. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  157 

"Did  the  sun's  rosy  light  o'er  the  Blue  Ridge  this  morning 
Kiss  the  high  mountain  peaks?     I  know  not,  for  this  warning 
Note  eagerly  longed  for,  prevented  the  dav. 
And  the  hours,  unchronicled,  glided  away. 
All  to  one  paying  tribute.     Well  each  cadet  knew 
To  the  stroke  of  the  clock,  the  command  would  be  true; 
Major  Jackson  in  charge,  he  would  linger  for  none, 
And  he  still  would  move  on.  did  he  move  on  alone. 

"With  Love,  holiest  cares,  as  her  purpose  fulfilling, 
Another's  burdens  to  lighten,  the  heart  is  made  willing; 
Thus  to  lighten  its  own,  each  moment  passed  on, 
Smiles  brightening  to  tears — then,  in  tears,  the  smiles  gone. 
Fair  young  fingers  were  busy — on  many  a  fair  face, 
This  April  of  Sunshine  and  Showers  you  might  trace ; 
While  gay  words  of  greeting  were  followed  as  soon. 
By  some  errand  accepted,  as  quickly  as  known. 

"Hark!    the  roll  of  the  drum.     It  has  called  them  to  prayer. 
And  each  uncovered  head  bows  in  reverence  there. 
Through  the  Barracks  is  hushed  all  the  vexed  strife  of  earth, 
As  the  servant  of  God  breathes  falteringly  forth 
In  grief-stricken  accents,  but  firm,  trusting  faith, 
A  prayer  for  His  presence  in  danger  and  death. 
Let  them  only  be  Thine,  then  must  suffering  be 
The  path  Thou  hast  chosen  to  lead  them  to  Thee ! 
The  silence  is  broken — a  quick  rush  of  feet — 
Each  one  takes  his  place,  and  the  ranks  are  complete. 
A  stroke  of  the  clock — the  Battalion  moves  on — 
A  dull,  measured  tramp — a  last  look— they  are  gone  !"* 


*By  Mrs.  Francis  H.   Smith. 


158  The  Military  History  of 


CHAPTER  X 


^} 


JACKSON  AT  HARPER  S   FERRY   AND   MANASSAS 

We  have  seen  that  Major  Jackson's  preferment  was 
attributed  by  jealous  civihans,  seekmg  their  own  selfish 
interests,  to  the  undue  influence  of  the  Virginia  Mihtary 
Institute.  His  connection  with  the  army,  and  his  serv- 
ice in  Mexico  seemed  to  have  passed  from  the  memory 
of  everybody  but  his  intimate  friends.* 

The  following  account  of  Jackson's  arrival  at 
Harper's  Ferry,  where  he  arrived  and  took  command 
May  3,  1861,  is  given  by  General  John  D.  Imboden, 
at  that  time  Captain  of  the  Staunton  Battery: 

"When  I  arrived  in  Richmond,  General  Robert  E.  Lee  had  been 
placed  in  command  of  all  the  Virginia  forces  by  the  Governor,  and 
by  an  ordinance  every  militia  officer  in  the  State,  above  the  rank  of 
Captain,  had  been  decapitated,  and  the  Governor  and  his  Military 
Council  had  been  authorized  to  fill  the  vacancies  thus  created. 
This  was  a  disastrous  blow  to  the  'pomp  and  circumstance  of 
glorious  war'  at  Harper's  Ferry.  Militia  generals,  and  the  brilliant 
'staff'  were  stricken  down,  and  their  functions  devolved,  according 
to  Governor  Letcher's  order,  upon  Thomas  J.  Jackson,  Colonel 
Commandant,  and  James  W.  Massie,  Major  and  Assistant 
Adjutant-General,  who  arrived  during  the  first  week  of  May. 

"This  was  Stonewall  Jackson's  first  appearance  on  the  theatre 
of  war.  I  spent  one  day  and  night  in  Richmond,  and  then  returned 
to  camp,  arriving  about  2  p.  m.  What  a  revolution  three  or  four 
days  had  wrought !  I  could  scarcely  realize  the  change.  The 
militia  generals  were  all  gone,  and  the  staff  had  vanished.  The 
commanding  colonel  and  his  adjutant  had  arrived,  and  were  occupy- 
ing a  small  room  in  the  little  wayside  hotel  near  the  railroad  bridge. 

♦Military  Biography  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  Jones,  p.  36.  The  following 
letter  from  Major  Preston,  who  had  been  ordered  to  Richmond,  Is  interesting 
at   this    point : 

"I  got  here  safely.  As  I  anticipated,  the  Colonel  wanted  to  consult  me  with 
regard  to  matters  connected  with  the  Institute,  and  the  organization  of  the 
military  forces  of  the  region  roundabout.  Colonel  Smith  is  occupying  here  a 
very  Important  and  laborous  position  and  is  acquiring  a  very  enviable  reputation 
for  the  value  of  his  services.  The  general  idea  of  the  movements  is,  I  think, 
based  upon  the  purpose  of  avoiding  civil  war,  but  to  be  prepared  thoroughly 
for  every  emergency.  Jackson,  with  the  rank  of  colonel,  goes  to  supersede 
General  Harper  at  Harper's  Ferry.  It  is  most  flattering  to  him.  Say  to  his 
wife  that  It  is  the  command  of  all  others  which  he  would  most  prefer.  He  is 
a  noble  fellow,   and   I   rejoice  in  his  success." 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  159 

Knowing  them  both,  I  immediately  sought  an  interview  and  deliv- 
ered a  letter  and  some  papers  I  had  brought  from  General  Lee. 
Jackson  and  his  Adjutant  were  at  a  little  pine  table,  figuring  upon 
the  rolls  of  the  troops  present.  They  were  dressed  in  well-worn, 
dingy  uniforms  of  professors  in  the  Virginia  Military  Institute, 
where  both  had  recently  occupied  chairs.  Colonel  Jackson  had 
issued,  and  sent  to  the  camp,  a  short,  simple  order  assuming  the 
command,  but  had  had  no  intercourse  with  the  troops.  The  deposed 
officers  had  nearly  all  left  for  home,  or  for  Richmond,  in  a  high 
state  of  indignation.  After  an  interview  of  perhaps  a  half  hour,  I 
proceeded  to  my  camp  on  the  hill,  and  found  the  men  of  the  5th 
Virginia  regiment  in  assembly,  and  greatly  excited.  They  were 
deeply  attached  to  their  field-officers,  and  regarded  the  ordinance 
of  the  Convention  as  an  outrage  on  freemen  and  volunteers ;  and 
were  discussing  the  propriety  of  passing  denunciatory  resolutions. 
On  seeing  me,  they  called  for  a  speech.  As  I  did  not  belong  to 
the  regiment,  I  declined  to  say  anything,  but  ordered  the  men  of 
the  Staunton  Artillery  to  fall  into  line.  Then  I  briefly  told  them 
that  we  were  required  to  muster  into  the  service  either  for  twelve 
months,  or  during  the  war,  at  our  option,  and  urged  them  to  go 
in  for  the  full  period  of  the  war,  as  such  action  would  be  most 
creditable  to  them,  and  a  good  example  to  others.  They  unani- 
mously shouted,  'For  the  war !  For  the  war !'  Before  tliev  were 
dismissed,  the  ceremony  of  mustering  in  was  complete,  and  I 
proudly  took  the  roll  to  Colonel  Jackson  with  the  remark,  'There, 
Colonel,  is  the  roll  of  your  first  company  mustered  in  for  the  war.' 
He  looked  it  over,  and,  rising,  shook  my  hand,  saying,  'Thank  you, 
Captain;  thank  you,  and  please  thank  your  men  for  me.'  He  had 
heard  that  there  was  dissatisfaction  in  the  camps,  and  asked  me  to 
act  as  mustering-officer  for  the  two  other  artillery  companies 
present.  Before  sunset  the  rolls  were  returned.  This  prompt 
action  of  the  batteries  was  emulated,  the  next  day,  by  the  other 
troops,  and  all  were  mustered  in."* 

An  army  correspondent  of  one  of  the  Southern 
papers  has  left  us  a  personal  sketch  of  Colonel  Jackson, 
at  this  time.  It  clearly  indicates  the  general  impression 
of  the  hour,  and,  furthermore,  portrays  Jackson  as  he 
was  recalled  by  more  than  one  cadet: 

"The  queer  appearance  of  the  ex-Professor  on  the  field  excited 
great  merriment  in  this  writer.  The  Old  Dominion  must  be 
woefully  deficient  in  militarj^  men,  he  thought,  if  this  was  the  best 
she  could  do.  To  him  the  new  colonel  was  not  at  all  like  a  com- 
manding officer.     There  was  a  painful  want  in  him  of  all  the  'pride, 

♦Battles  and   Leaders  of  the  Civil   War,   Vol.   1,   pp.   120-121. 


160  The  Military  History  of 

pomp^  and  circumstance  of  glorious  war.'  His  dress  was  no  better 
than  a  private  soldier's,  and  there  was  not  a  particle  of  gold  lace 
about  his  uniform.  His  air  was  abstracted;  his  bearing  stiff  and 
awkward ;  he  kept  his  own  counsels ;  never  consulted  with  his 
officers,  and  had  very  little  to  say  to  anybody.  On  horseback  his 
appearance  was  even  less  impressive.  Other  officers,  at  that  early 
stage  of  the  war,  when  the  fondness  for  military  insignia  and  dis- 
play was  greater  than  afterwards,  and  before  the  blockade  had  cut 
off  the  supply  of  gewgaws  and  decorations,  made  their  appearance 
before  their  troops  on  prancing  horses,  with  splendid  trappings, 
and  seemed  desirous  of  showing  the  admiring  spectators  how  grace- 
fully they  could  sit  in  the  saddle.  The  new  colonel  was  a  strong 
contrast  to  all  this.  He  rode  an  old  horse  which  seemed  to  have 
little  of  the  romance  of  war  about  him,  and  nothing  at  all  fine  in 
his  equipment.  His  seat  in  the  saddle  was  far  from  graceful;  he 
leaned  forward  awkwardly ;  settled  his  chin  from  time  to  time  in 
his  loft}'^  military  stock,  and  looked  from  side  to  side,  from  beneath 
the  low  rim  of  his  cadet  cap,  in  a  manner  which  the  risible  faculties 
of  the  correspondent  could  not  resist.  A  queerer  figure,  and  one 
which  answered  less  to  the  idea  of  military  grace,  had  never  before 
dawned  on  the  attention  of  the  literary  gentleman  who  sketched  it 
for  the  amusement  of  the  Southern  reader." 

Among  the  first  steps  taken  by  Colonel  Jackson  for 
the  organization  of  his  command,  was  the  selection  of 
Major  James  W.  Massie,  V.  M.  I.,  1847,  who  had 
served  under  him  as  a  tactical  officer  at  the  Institute, 
as  his  Inspector-General;  his  old  associate  in  the 
faculty,  John  Thomas  Lewis  Preston,  as  his  Acting 
Assistant  Adjutant- General;  and  Captain  Marshall 
McDonald  and  Edward  Cunningham,  Assistant  Pro- 
fessors, as  his  Assistant  Inspector-General  and 
Engineer  Officer,  respectively,  while  Dr.  Graham  of 
Lexington,  formerly  Surgeon  of  the  Institute,  became 
his  Chief  Surgeon.  Major  Preston,  who  had  been 
ordered  to  Richmond  to  confer  with  the  Superintendent, 
repaired  at  once  to  Harper's  Ferry,  but  was  recalled  to 
the  Institute  late  in  May.* 

•The  following  extracts  from  the  correspondence  of  Major  Preston  with 
his  wife  illustrates  the  work  of  the  Institute  in  the  organization  of  Jackson's 
command  : 

May  9th,  1S61.  "While  Massie  is  gone  to  Richmond  with  dispatches, 
I  take  as  much  of  Jackson's  responsibility  as  I  choose.  Colonels,  captains. 
and  officials  of  all  ranks  come  to  me  for  orders,  for  leave  of  absence,  for 
directions,  for  privileges,  for  information.  It  is  precisely,  so  far  as  I  am 
concerned,  like  the  Superintendency  of  the  Institute,  and  it  is  my  practice 
in  that  sort  of  work  that  gives  me  here  more  efficiency  than  men  of  more 
ability   and   more   experience.      It    is   astonishing   to   see   how    the    Institute    tells 


fe..  ..  ■■ ■  .■  I  I  — -•;;::!':;,  I ...t : ,  ...  I  -  it . .  - 1-- -" 


■■111. 


BRIGADIER-GENERAL    THOMAS    HOOMES    WILLIAMSON 

Commandant  of  Cadets   1841-1846 
Professor  1841-1888 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  161 

April  22d,  an  order  had  been  received  at  the  Institute 
from  General  Harper  at  Harper's  Ferry,  to  forward 
10,000  muskets  from  the  Arsenal  for  issue,  to  his  com- 
mand, and  Captain  Updike  was  directed  to  detail  25  of 
his  men  as  an  escort,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant 
Shipp.  Lieutenant  Shipp,  however,  proceeded  no 
further  with  the  escort  than  Staunton,  at  whicli  point 
he  received  orders  to  proceed  to  Richmond,  where  he  was 
assigned  to  duty  with  rank  of  Captain  under  Colonel 
Gilham  as  Assistant  Adjutant- General  in  the  Camp  of 
Instruction.  The  same  day,  Lieutenant  J.  D.  H.  Ross 
was  detailed  with  ten  cadets  to  escort  an  ammunition 
train  to  Harper's  Ferry.  These  cadets,  Wight,  Holt, 
Norris,  Hempstead,  Burruss,  Burk  T.,  Lee  W., 
Turner  S.,  Savage  and  Taylor  M.,  were  retained  by 
Colonel  Jackson  at  Harper's  Ferry  as  drill-masters. 
Jackson  had  been  at  Camp  Lee  long  enough  to  witness 
the  immediate  results  obtained  there  by  the  cadets  in 
charge  of  the  instruction  of  the  volunteers.  His  next 
step  was  to  place  Major  Daniel  Trueheart,  formerly 
his  assistant  at  the  Institute,  in  charge  of  the  organiza- 
tion of  his  artillery ;  and,  assisted  by  officers  in  whom  he 
reposed  confidence  born  of  previous  association,  he 
undertook  the  work  of  hammering  his  command  into 
shape. 

Meantime,  the  Rev.  William  Nelson  Pendleton,  of 
Lexington,  had  been  elected  Captain  of  the  Rockbridge 
Artillery,  a  battery  which  had  been  organized  in  Lexing- 
ton and  drilled  by  Captain  John  McCausland,  of  the 
Institute  Sub-Faculty,  until  he  was  promoted  lieu- 
tenant-colonel of  the  36th  Virginia  Regiment,  and 
ordered  to  northwest  Virginia.  Knowing  the  calibei'  of 
his  old  friend,  Colonel  Jackson  requested  that  the  Rock- 
just  now.  Every  man  from  the  oldest  to  the  youngest,  who  has  been  connected 
with  It,  is  looked  to  for  extra  service.  When  Massie  is  here  I  do  some  of 
the  same  sort  of  thing,  but  mainly  I  write  letters  for  .Jackson  and  advise  him 
as  far  as   I   am   able." 

May  12th,  1861.  "I  did  not  know  before  how  well  I  could  get  through 
work  which  is  new  to  me,  nor  did  I  know  how  much  technical  acquaintance 
with  military  matters  I  had  absorbed  by  my  life-long  connection  with  the 
Institute.  At  all  events,  I  have  been  a  week,  since  Massie's  absence,  acting  as 
chief  aid,  settling  all  manner  of  questions  for  colonels,  majors,  captains,  and 
sometimes  when  .Jackson  was  absent  looking  after  his  fortifications,  acting 
as    commander-in-chief." 


11 


102  The  Military  History  of 

bridge  Artillery  be  assigned  to  his  command,  which  was 
done;  and,  with  two  of  the  cadet  brass  6-pounders,  and 
ammunition  chests  mounted  on  the  bodies  of  hay 
wagons,  the  battery  marched  to  Staunton  on  Maj^  11th, 
arriving  at  Harper's  Ferry  four  days  later.* 

Jackson's  command  was  fast  rounding  into  shape. 
As  early  as  May  8th,  he  wrote  his  wife,  "Colonels  Massie 
and  Preston  have  been  of  great  service  to  me. 
Humanly  speaking,  I  don't  see  how  I  could  have  ac- 
complished the  amount  of  work  I  have  done  without 
them." 

The  press  now  began  to  change  its  view  about  the 
odd-looking  colonel,  and  we  read: 

"The  commanding  officer  at  Harper's  Ferry  is  worthy  of  the 
name  he  bears,  for  'Old  Hickory'  himself  was  not  a  more  deter- 
mined, iron-nerved  man  than  he.  Born  in  Virginia,  educated  at 
West  Point,  trained  in  the  Mexican  War.  occupied  since  at  the  pet 
military  Institution  of  the  Old  Dominion,  his  whole  life  has  been 
a  preparation  for  this  struggle." 

On  the  23d  of  May,  Colonel  Joseph  E.  Johnston  ar- 
rived at  Harper's  Ferry  and  superseded  Jackson  in 
command.  The  troops  were  almost  immediately 
organized  into  brigades,  according  to  States.  Colonel 
Jackson  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  first,  or, 
strictly,  Virginia  brigade,  composed  of  the  2d  Virginia, 
Colonel  James  W.  Allen;  4th  Virginia,  Colonel  J.  F. 
Preston;  5th  Virginia,  Colonel  Kenton  Harper;  27th 
Virginia,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  John  Echols;  33d  Vir- 
ginia, Colonel  A.  C.  Cummings.  Colonels  Allen, 
Echols,  and  Cummings  were  graduates  of  the  Institute, 
of  the  Classes  of  '49,  '48  and  '44,  respectively. 

When,  on  the  15th  of  June,  Johnston  withdrew  fi-om 
Harper's  Ferry  to  Winchester,  he  left  Colonel  Jackson 
with  his  brigade  at  the  front  along  the  Baltimore  & 
Ohio  Railroad,  to  observe  General  Patterson's  prepara- 
tions. 

On  the  2d  of  July,  1861,  Colonel  Jackson  detected  a 
movement  on  the  part  of  the  Federals,  and  desiring 

♦Memoirs   of  William   Nelson   Pendleton,   Lee,   pp.    140-144. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  163 

to  develop  the  intentions  of  the  enemy  directed  Captain 
Pendleton  to  move  forward  the  Rockbridge  Battery, 
and,  supported  by  the  5th  Virginia,  to  open  fire.  Be- 
sides the  two  brass  cadet  6-pounders,  the  battery  now 
liad  two  iron  pieces.  Three  of  the  gvms  were  held  in 
the  rear,  and  one  of  the  cadet  pieces  only  placed  in 
action,  about  three  miles  from  the  camp.  Upon  dis- 
covering Pendleton's  gun,  the  enemy's  artillery  opened 
a  brisk  fire,  but  gunner  David  E.  Moore,  Jr.,  of  Lexing- 
ton, carefully  laid  his  piece  under  the  directions  of  the 
battery  commander,  and  fired  at  a  squadron  of  cavalry 
about  800  yards  distant.  The  first  shot  dispersed  the 
troopers,  the  second  disabled  a  gun.  But  eight  shots  in 
all  were  fired  before  the  enemy  retired,  leaving  55 
prisoners  in  the  hands  of  Colonel  J.  E.  B.  Stuart's 
Cavalry. 

This  affair,  called  Hainesville,  or  Falling  Waters, 
which  occurred  near  Martin sburg,  Virginia,  was  the 
first  in  which  the  troops  under  Jackson  were  engaged, 
and  is  notable  in  connection  with  the  Institute  inasmuch 
as  David  Moore,  of  Lexington,  fired  the  first  hostile 
cannon  shot  in  Jackson's  army,  with  one  of  the  guns  of 
the  cadet  battery.* 

July  6th,  Jackson  received  his  commission  as  Brig- 
adier-General, dated  June  17,  1861.  His  promotion 
was  confirmed  August  28th,  following. 

Captain  Pendleton  had  been  three  years  at  West 
Point  with  Generals  Johnston  and  Lee,  and  two  years 
with  Mr.  Davis.  On  July  13,  1861,  the  President  in 
writing  to  General  Johnston,  after  hearing  of  the  affair 
of  the  2d  of  July,  said : 

"I  recollect  Captain  Pendleton  well.  and.  when  we  were  all 
younger,  esteemed  him  highly  as  a  soldier  and  a  gentleman.  I, 
some  days  since,  directed  that  he  should  have  rank  as  a  Colonel, 
and  be  put  in  command  of  the  batteries  of  your  army."** 

♦Memoirs   of   William    Nelson    Pendleton,    Lee,    pp.    145-146. 
The  Story  of  a  Cannoneer  under  Stonewall  .Tackson,  Moore,  p.   25. 
In  this  work  the  picture  of  the  gun  and  the  gunner  may  be  seen. 
In   1914.  David  E.   Moore  is  Commonwealth   Attorney   in   Lexington. 
♦♦Rebellion  Records,  Series  I,  Vol.  II,  p.  977. 


164  The  Military  History  or 

Thus,  both  the  first  and  second  commanders  of  the 
guns  which  President  Zachary  Taylor  presented  the 
Corps  of  Cadets  were  not  only  present  when  they  fired 
their  first  hostile  shots,  but  both  received  their  pro- 
motions ahnost  simultaneously  after  the  affair  in  which 
they  were  engaged,  that  being  the  prelude  to  Manassas. 
Colonel  Pendleton  later  became  Brigadier- General  and 
Chief  of  Artillery,  Army  of  Northern  Virginia.* 

July  21,  1861,  the  great  battle  of  First  Manassas,  or 
Bull  Run,  was  fought.  We  can  not  here  give  the  de- 
tails of  that  battle,  in  which  Brigadier-General  Thomas 
Jonathan  Jackson  received  from  the  lips  of  Bee  the 
immortal  sobriquet  of  "Stonewall"  as  he  stood  among 
the  old  cadet  guns,  which  for  ten  long  years  he  had 
commanded  at  the  Institute. 


•The  junior  Lieutenant  of  the  Rockbridge  Artillery  at  Hainesville, 
William  T.  Poague,  became  Captain  of  the  battery  in  1862,  Major  of  Artillery 
in  1863,  Lieutenant-Colonel  1864,  and  has,  for  the  past  thirty  years,  been 
Treasurer  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute.  He  was  designated  by  General 
Lee  to   lead  the   retreat   to   Appomattox   in   1865. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  165 


CHAPTER  XI 

CADETS  AT  MANASSAS IN  MEMORIAM 

On  pages  117  and  118,  of  the  current  catalogue  of  the 
Virginia  Mihtary  Institute,  one  finds  the  following: 

C.  W.  Moore,  Virginia,  1861,  C.  S.  A.,  Cadet,  killed 
First  Manassas. 

S.  R.  Norris,  Virginia,  1861,  C.  S.  A.,  killed  First 
Manassas. 

J.  S.  Moffett,  Virginia,  1861,  C.  S.  A.,  Cadet,  killed 
First  Manassas. 

That  is  all  the  official  record  contains  concerning  these 
youthful  soldiers,  and  for  over  half  a  century  in  the 
memorial  of  our  New  Market  dead,  we  have  forgotten 
that  there  were  others  who  met  their  death  while  wear- 
ing the  cadet  coatee.* 

The  names  of  Moore,  Moffett  and  Norris,  while 
hitherto  obscure,  should  be  stamped  upon  the  very  heart 
of  every  V.  M.  I.  cadet,  and  emblazoned  in  enduring 
form  upon  the  highest  pinnacles  of  Fame. 

How  came  they  to  offer  up  their  sacrifice  to  the 
Southern  cause?  Who  were  they,  and  whence  did  they 
hail — these  all  but  forgotten  heroes? 

It  was  in  the  late  summer  of  1860,  when  Charlie 
Moore,  Johnnie  Moffett,  and  Charlie  Norris  passed 
through  the  sally-port  of  Barracks  and  became  cadets 
at  the  Virginia  Mihtary  Institute.  Moore  and  Moffett 
were  eighteen  years  old;  Norris  was  two  years  their 
junior.  They  came  from  Abingdon,  Virginia,  Rock- 
bridge County,  Virginia,  and  Leesburg,  Virginia, 
respectively,  sent  to  the  Institute  by  loving  parents  to 
be  trained  for  their  part  in  the  dreaded  future. 

♦There  were  19  cadets  killed  in  battle  on  various  fields  during  the  war. 


166  The  Military  History  or 

Already  the  omen  of  war  had  east  its  shadow  over 
the  Southland,  and  in  the  souls  of  strong  men  were 
gloomy  presages  of  inevitable  tragedy.  Then,  as  now^ 
the  lilting  air  of  youth,  the  echo  of  exuberant  spirits, 
rang  through  the  martial  halls ;  but  in  the  still  hours  of 
night  when  men  are  wont  to  ponder  the  serious  things  of 
life,  not  even  these  youths  could  fail  to  discern  the  ever- 
darkening  cloud  which  gathered  in  the  North.  No  ears 
could  fail  to  hear  the  rumbling  of  the  approaching 
storm. 

Here  were  soldiers  then  who  knew  war — the  veterans 
of  Cerro  Gordo,  of  Palto  Alto,  of  Monterey  and 
Chapultepec,  who,  while  they  quailed,  but  steeled  their 
hearts  and  labored  with  unceasing  energy  to  meet  the 
crisis.  The  genius  of  Gilham  shone  the  brighter,  and 
the  determination  of  Jackson  seemed  the  more  inexor- 
able, in  their  stern  resolve  to  serve  Virginia— to  serve 
her  by  inculcating  in  a  thousand  youthful  breasts  a 
mature  sense  of  duty. 

It  was  within  the  year  these  three  young  men  spent 
here  that  the  Corps  was  electrified  by  those  flashes  from 
the  soul  of  Jackson.  They  beheld  him  in  their  midst, 
standing  erect,  and  radiant  with  high  purpose,  prepared 
to  face  the  future.  They  heard  him  say  in  tones  of 
heartrent  anguish,  when  asked  if  he  desired  war,  "Sir, 
as  a  Christian  I  will  deprecate  the  advent  of  fratricidal 
strife,  but  as  a  soldier,  sir,  I  will  welcome  war."  Then, 
they  heard  him  cry  with  clear  and  ringing  accent,  "It 
is  time  for  Virginia  to  draw  the  sword  and  throw  away 
the  scabbard." 

Such,  were  the  leaders  in  those  days;  and,  so,  it  was 
natural  that  when  the  tide  of  invasion  swept  up  against 
the  bulwarks  of  Virginia,  not  only  Smith,  the  Superin- 
tendent, Gilham,  the  Commandant,  Jackson,  Crutch- 
field,  Rodes,  Colston,  Preston,  Williamson,  McCaus- 
land,  and  Shipp,  the  Professors,  but  that  the  entire 
Corps,  should  rush  to  the  defense  of  Virginia. 

It  was  a  glorious  Sunday  morning  in  April  when 
Major  Jackson  marched  the  Battalion  of  Cadets  from 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  167 

Lexington  to  Staunton,  en  route  to  Richmond,  where 
its  members  were  to  serve  as  drill-masters  in  the  Camp 
of  Instruction.  He  left  in  no  haste.  His  orders  were 
to  move  at  12 :30  p.  m.  The  impatient  cadets  chafed  as 
they  stood  in  ranks  awaiting  the  appointed  time  until 
which  the  command  was  not  given. 

About  fifty  of  the  younger  cadets  were  ordered  to  re- 
main as  a  guard  for  the  Institute,  and  among  those  was 
Norris.  In  strange  contrast  was  the  elation  of  those 
who  wound  their  way  behind  "Old  Jack"  over  the  blue 
hills,  to  the  disappointment  of  the  faithful  few  who 
watched  the  gallant  Corps  disappear  in  the  haze  of 
distance.  It  was  at  this  very  moment,  alone  perhaps 
in  the  very  highest  tower  of  Barracks,  that  little  Norris 
felt  the  realization  of  the  word  "Duty"  in  its  highest 
sense.  Can  we  doubt  that  in  this  hour  of  sorest  trial, 
as  he  strained  his  eyes  to  catch  the  last  glint  of  the 
vanishing  column,  he  wiped  away  the  bitter  tears  that 
welled  unbidden  from  his  heart,  and  said  "It  is  braver 
to  remain  than  to  go." 

As  it  always  does,  the  conscious  performance  of 
duty  brought  to  Charlie  Norris  his  reward,  for  but  a 
few  days  passed  until  he  and  nine  other  cadets  were 
ordered  to  escort  the  powder  train  from  the  Institute 
to  Harper's  Ferry;  and  upon  reporting,  they  found 
not  Major  Jackson  of  old,  but  Colonel  Jackson  in  com- 
mand of  the  volunteer  army  there  assembled,  who  as- 
signed them  to  different  commands  as  drill-masters. 
Like  Moore  and  MoflPett  in  Richmond,  Norris  now  de- 
voted all  his  energies  to  the  work  in  hand,  conscious 
that  the  eye  of  "Old  Jack"  was  upon  him. 

Soon,  Beauregard  began  to  assemble  his  army.  The 
First  Corps,  or  Army  of  the  Potomac,  at  Manassas, 
and  Joseph  E.  Johnston  took  command  of  the  Second 
Corps,  or  Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  in  the  Valley. 

The  undisciplined  recruits  were  quickly  rounded  into 
shape,  and  in  this  work  nearly  200  cadets  labored  night 
and  day.  Fortunate,  indeed,  was  the  South  that  such 
hands  were  available  to  mould  the  weapon  of  its  first  de- 


168  The  Military  History  of 

fense.  Now,  was  the  value  of  the  Institute  appreciated 
by  all,  both  friend  and  foe.  Now,  the  service  which 
Smith  and  Gilliam  and  Jackson  had  rendered,  their 
people  well  understood.  Was  it  not  Lincohi,  himself, 
who,  it  has  been  said,  replied,  when  asked  by  an  im- 
patient politician,  why  he  did  not  crush  the  Confederate 
Army  at  once:  "It  might  be  done,  were  it  not  for  a 
certain  Military  School  they  have,  which  supplies  them 
with  trained  officers."*  But  whether  he  ever  made  such 
a  remark  or  not,  well  might  he  have  done  so,  for  the 
full  import  of  Lincoln's  supposed  remark  is  appreciated, 
if  it  be  recalled  that  among  the  Sieves  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute,  in  the  Confederate  States  Armies, 
M^ere  20  general  officers,  nearly  300  field  officers,  and 
more  than  500  of  lower  rank,  including  many  of  the 
most  responsible  staff  officers  in  the  service. 

Verily,  those  were  the  days  that  tried  men's  souls 
and  made  strong  men  of  boys.  Indeed,  our  great 
national  struggle  was  a  war  between  boys.  Statistics 
show  us  that  the  average  age  of  the  2,400,000  or  more 
enlisted  men  in  the  Northern  Armies  was  but  twenty 
years,  upon  their  entrance  into  the  service.  But 
while  there  were  thousands  of  youthful  soldiers  in  this 
war,  few  rendered  their  flag  the  service  which  the  cadets 
performed  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1861. 
Historians  in  analyzing  the  cause  of  Confederate  suc- 
cess at  First  Manassas,  seem  to  have  utterly  neglected 
one  of  its  prime  factors.  They  do  not  see  standing 
there  in  front  of  the  Southern  troops,  several  hundred 
drill-masters  suddenly  become  leaders,  and  reflecting  the 
very  spirit,  embodying  the  very  soul,  that  won  for 
"Stonewall  Jackson,"  on  that  day,  his  immortal  sobri- 
quet.   Thus,  in  such  ignorance,  is  history  written. 

The  subjects  of  our  sketch  were  but  three  of  several 
hundred  cadets  who  found  their  way  to  the  momentous 
field  of  Manassas;  but  most  of  these  had  already  won 
commissions  in  the  arm}%  and  had  changed  the  natty 

*I  can  find  no  real  authority  for  this  remaric,  though  Lincoln  frequently 
declared  that  the  Federal  troops  were  not  fighting  raw  militia  but  troops  disci- 
plined by  highly  trained  officers. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  169 

coatee  for  the  long  frock  coat  of  a  Confederate  officer. 
The  Corps  whicli  left  Lexington  in  April  had  dissolved, 
ere  McDowell  crossed  the  Potomac,  but  there  were  still 
some  of  its  members  serving  in  their  original  capacity 
as  drill-masters  at  Richmond,  Harper's  Ferry,  and  with 
Beauregard,  at  Manassas.  Such  was  the  case  with 
Moore,  Moffett,  and  Norris. 

On  the  memorable  morning  of  July  21,  1861,  swept 
on  by  the  ardour  of  youth,  Moffett  and  Moore  entered 
the  fight,  with  the  first  sound  of  battle,  as  volunteer 
captains  of  the  companies  they  had  drilled  so  faithfully. 
And  not  far  off  was  little  Norris  hastening  from  the 
Valley  with  Johnston's  troops.  He  had  watched  his 
older  comrades  with  envy  when  they  left  him  in  the 
Barracks;  but  no  longer  was  he  the  immature  lad  of 
Lexington.  A  soldier's  responsibilities  now  rested  on 
his  shoulders  as  he  sped  over  the  roads  with  Jackson  and 
his  men,  to  the  aid  of  Beauregard.  While  spurring  on 
the  men  of  his  coinpany,  with  which  he  had  toiled,  and 
over  which  he  was  now  in  command,  in  the  absence  of 
his  captain,  he  was  no  doubt  thinking  of  his  cadet 
friends  at  Manassas,  and  chafing  lest  he  should  be  too 
late  to  join  them  in  battle. 

At  last,  the  grey  canopy  of  smoke  marked  for  his  eyes 
the  fretted  field.  A  few  minutes  more,  and  he  had 
entered  the  conflict.  Some  strange  power  carried  him 
on  with  a  speed  and  endurance  unknown  to  him  before ; 
and,  rushing  forward  at  the  head  of  his  men,  he  was 
soon  face  to  face  with  Ricketts'  guns,  in  the  blast  of 
which  Moore  and  Moffett  had  already  fallen.  "Come 
on,  boys,  quick,  and  we  can  whip  them!"  he  shrilly  cried, 
and  these  words  just  uttered,  he  sank  to  the  earth  to 
rise  no  more.* 

The  horrors  of  that  day  all  know.  Nor  was  the  sacri- 
fice vain,  for  Manassas  gave  to  the  world  "Stonewall" 

♦  Note — Captain  Robert  McCulloch,  of  St.  Louis,  V.  M.  I.,  '61.  tlie  friend 
and  comrade  of  Moore.  Moffett,  and  Norris.  also  served  at  First  Manassas  as 
a  volunteer  cadet  captain.  Though  wounded,  he  continued  to  serve  with  such 
conspicuous  gallantry  that  he  was  promoted  immediately  after  the  battle 
to  regular  rank,  finally  reaching  the  grade  of  Captain.  Learning  of  Moore's 
death,  he  sought  out  "his  body  after  the  fighting  ceased,  buried  it,  marked 
the  grave,  and  thus  enabled  Mrs.  Moore  to  recover  the  remains  of  her  son. 


170  The  Military  History  of 

Jackson,  one  whose  memory  will  inspire  humanity  with 
noble  impulses  as  long  as  the  brave  worship  at  the  altar 
of  Christianity.  His  idealized  figure  alone  the  whole 
world  now  sees  standing  there  amid  the  belching  guns, 
as  Bee  and  Bartow  saw  it  in  reality,  ere  they  fell.  But 
the  mist  of  time  has  obscured  from  our  eyes  the 
dreader  scenes  of  that  day.  There,  upon  the  field,  when 
the  smoke  of  battle  had  mingled  with  the  dark  clouds, 
when  the  roar  of  the  conflict  had  died  away,  lay  the  rigid 
forms  of  three  soldier  lads.  Each  marked  the  far  ad- 
vance of  the  battle  line.  In  the  gray  coatee  of  each  was 
found  the  rent  through  which  a  soul  ascended  to  await 
the  coming  of  the  leader  to  whose  glory  they  had  con- 
tributed so  much  of  blood  and  valour.  Let  belated  fame 
with  her  light  now  search  the  stricken  field  and  cast  her 
discerning  rays  upon  their  pallid  cheeks,  and  somewhere 
on  the  pages  of  her  undying  record  inscribe  the  names 
of  Moore,  Moffett,  and  Norris. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  171 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  WEST   POINT   OF   THE   CONFEDERACY 

April  29,  1861,  Jefferson  Davis,  President  of  the 
newly-formed  Confederacy,  addressed  an  interesting  re- 
port to  the  Confederate  Congress,  detaihng  at  length 
the  executive  measures  up  to  that  time,  and  offering 
many  valuable  recommendations.  The  former  Secre- 
tary of  War  of  the  United  States,  thoroughly  con- 
versant with  all  matters  pertaining  to  army  organiza- 
tion, wrote: 

"To  secure  a  thorough  military  education,  it  is  deemed  essential 
that  officers  should  enter  upon  the  study  of  their  profession  at  an 
early  period  of  life,  and  have  elementary  instruction  in  a  military 
school.  Until  such  school  shall  be  established,  it  is  recommended 
that  cadets  be  appointed  and  attached  to  companies  until  they 
shall  have  attained  the  age,  and  have  acquired  the  knowledge,  to 
fit  them  for  the  duties  of  lieutenants."* 

Pursuant  to  this  wise  recommendation,  the  Act  of 
Congress  providing  for  the  increase  of  the  military 
establishment  of  the  Confederate  States,  amending  the 
original  Act  creating  the  army,  and  approved  May  16th, 
included  the  following  section: 

"Section  8.  That  until  a  military  school  shall  be  established 
for  the  elementary  instruction  of  officers  for  the  Army,  the  Presi- 
dent shall  be  authorized  to  appoint  cadets  from  the  several  States 
in  number  proportionate  to  their  representation  in  the  House  of 
Representatives,  and  ten,  in  addition,  to  be  selected  by  him  at  large 
from  the  Confederate  States,  who  shall  be  attached  to  companies 
in  service  in  any  branch  of  the  Army  as  supernumerary  officers, 
with  the  rank  of  'Cadet,'  who  shall  receive  the  monthly  pay  of 
$40.00,  and  be  competent  for  promotion  at  such  time,  and  under 
such  regulations,  as  may  be  prescribed  by  the  President,  or  here- 
after established  by  law."** 

•Rebellion    Records,   Series    IV,   Vol.    I.   p.    267. 
♦♦Ibid.,  p.   327. 


172  The  Military  History  of 

From  this  measure  it  is  clearly  seen  that  at  the  out- 
set the  Confederate  Congress  contemplated  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  military  academy  for  the  education  of  its 
officers.  But  upon  discovering  that  such  an  institution 
was  already  available,  inasmuch  as  Virginia,  which 
possessed  a  School  of  Arms,  second  only  to  West  Point, 
had  joined  the  Confederacy  April  17th,  the  necessity 
of  creating  another  School  at  great  expense  no  longer 
existed. 

Upon  the  joint  recommendation  of  Governor  Letcher 
and  President  Davis,  the  Confederate  Congress,  early 
in  the  fall  of  1861,  ordered  the  Board  of  Visitors  of 
the  Virginia  Military  Institute  to  reopen  the  School, 
January  1,  1862,  and  put  into  full  operation  the  regular 
exercises  which  had  been  suspended  since  July  18th,  pre- 
ceding, when  the  Corps  was  furloughed.  During  the 
smnmer  it  had  been  announced  that  the  Institute  would 
not  be  reopened  in  the  fall,  as  previously  stated. 

Colonel  Smith,  strange  to  say,  vigorously  opposed 
the  reopening  of  the  School.  He  argued  that  the  rest- 
lessness of  the  cadets,  the  impossibility  of  securing  ade- 
quate supplies  of  provisions,  clothing,  fuel,  books,  etc., 
etc.,  was  a  difficulty  which  would  increase  as  the  war 
progressed.  But  the  authorities  insisted  that  the  Insti- 
tute was  a  necessity,  and,  that  the  Confederacy  was 
compelled  to  depend  upon  it  to  a  great  extent  for  its 
future  supply  of  officers. 

Accordingly,  the  Board  of  Visitors  met  on  the  second 
Tuesday  in  September,  and  took  steps  to  assemble  the 
faculty,  the  members  of  which  were  widely  scattered, 
and  all  serving  as  officers  in  the  army.  Among  the 
responses  to  the  call  of  the  Board,  the  following  letter 
was  received  from  the  Professor  of  Natural  and  Ex- 
perimental Philosophy : 

"Headquarters  First  Brigade,  2d  Corps,  A.  P., 

"Centreville,  October  22,  1861. 

"Gentlemen- — Your  circular  of  the  9th  inst.  has  been  received, 
and  I  beg  leave  to  say,  in  reply,  that  I  only  took  the  field  from  a 
sense  of  duty,  and  that  the   obligation  that  brought   me   into  the 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  173 

service  still  retains  me  in  it,  and  will  probably  continue  to  do  so 
as  long  as  the  war  shall  last.  At  the  close  of  hostilities,  I  desire 
to  resume  the  duties  of  my  chair,  and,  accordingly,  respectfully 
request  that,  if  consistent  with  the  interest  of  the  Institute,  the 
action  of  the  Board  of  Visitors  may  be  such  as  to  admit  of  my 
return,  upon  the  restoration  of  peace. 

"Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"T.  J.  Jackson, 
"Prof.  Nat.  and  Ex.  Philosophy,  V.  M.  I. 
"To 

"General  Wm.  H.  Richardson, 
"General  T.  H.  Raymond, 
"Committee." 

Having  been  overruled,  Colonel  Smith,  the  Superin- 
tendent, now  set  himself  about  the  task  of  reorganizing 
the  School,  with  his  usual  energy.  Under  date  of  No- 
vember 23d,  1861,  from  his  post  at  Craney  Island,  in 
Norfolk  Harbor,  where  he  was  in  command  of  the 
Artillery  defenses.  Colonel  Smith  addressed  a  letter  to 
the  Adjutant- General  of  Virginia,  from  which  the 
following  is  an  extract: 

"I  am  anxious  that  the  Board  shall  settle  the  question,  as  far 
as  they  can  do  it,  with  regard  to  the  connection  of  the  Institute 
witli  the  Southern  Confederacy.  I  think  that  all  that  is  valuable  in 
the  art  of  war  may  be  secured  b}^  having  an  understanding  with  the 
Confederate  Government  that  at  each  annual  examination  the 
Secretary  of  War  shall  notify  the  Board  of  Visitors  of  the  number 
of  officers  required  for  the  military  service,  then  send  a  board  of 
examiners,  to  meet  when  the  Board  is  in  session,  that  they  may 
examine  the  graduating  classes,  and  report  to  the  President  the 
names  of  such  as  are  recommended  for  commissions  in  the  Army, 
the  arm  of  service  for  which  they  are  fitted,  etc.  This  would  give 
the  Government  all  the  advantage  it  might  require  of  the  School." 

General  Richardson  at  once  forwarded  this  letter  to 
the  Secretary  of  War,  stating  that  the  Institute  would 
be  reopened  January  1st,  that  the  Board  desired  to 
make  the  School  subserve  the  interests  of  the  service 
in  every  way  possible,  and  requesting  suggestions  and 
cooperation  from  the  President  and  the  War  Depart- 
ment.* 


•Rebellion  Records,  Series  IV,  Vol.  I,  p.  537. 


174  The  Military  History  of 

At  its  fall  meeting,  the  Board  had  elected  Major 
Scott  Shipp,  V.  M.  I.,  1859,  21st  Virginia  Regiment, 
Commandant  of  Cadets.  Major  Shipp  had  served  since 
graduation,  it  will  be  recalled,  as  an  assistant  professor. 
The  change  was  a  welcome  one  to  Colonel  Gilham,  who, 
as  we  have  seen,  had  expected  in  1860  to  be  relieved 
in  order  that  he  might  devote  his  imdivided  attention 
to  his  academic  department.  His  return  to  the  Institute 
was  not,  therefore,  opposed  to  his  inclinations,  inasmuch 
as  he  was  still  deeply  interested  in  scientific  research. 

Major  Shipp  was  on  sick  leave  at  the  time  he  received 
his  orders  to  return,  and  did  so,  much  against  his  will. 
He  had  served  with  credit  in  the  West  Virginia  cam- 
paign, was  ambitious,  and  preferred  active  service  in  the 
field  with  his  regiment,  to  a  less  stirring,  if  more  useful, 
career  at  the  Institute.  But  those  familiar  with  his 
eminent  qualifications  for  the  important  office  of  Com- 
mandant of  Cadets  urged  upon  him  the  view  that  in 
no  way  could  an  officer  better  serve  his  country  than 
in  the  position  offered  him,  pointing  out  the  great  possi- 
bilities of  the  office  at  a  time  when  the  cry  for  trained 
officers  in  the  lower  grades  was  growing  louder  and 
louder  every  day.  Yielding  to  the  urgent  representa- 
tions of  his  friends.  Major  Shipp  finally  accepted  the 
office  which  he  filled  with  distinguished  ability  for 
twenty-eight  years. 

Wlien  the  reorganization  of  the  army  occurred  in 
April,  1862,  Lieutenant-Colonel  John  M.  Patton,  Jr., 
V.  M.  I.,  1846,  succeeded  Colonel  Gilham  in  command 
of  the  21st  Virginia  Regiment,  and  Major  Scott  Shipp 
was  elected  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  regiment  {vice 
Patton  promoted)  ;  but  Shipp  lost  his  commission  in  a 
most  unusual  way,  for  after  he  was  elected  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  of  the  21st  Virginia,  Captain  Morgan,  the  ad- 
jutant, had  his  office  declared  vacant  on  the  ground  that 
he  could  not  leave  the  Institute,  an  action  entirely  un- 
authorized by  Shipp. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  there  were  numerous 
military  schools  in  the  South,  for  many  of  the  States 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  175 

had  established  schools  after  the  model  of  the  Institute. 
First,  South  Carolina,  with  its  well-endowed  schools, 
at  Charleston  and  Columbia;  then  Georgia,  at  Marietta; 
Kentucky,  at  Frankfort;  Tennessee,  at  Nashville; 
North  Carolina,  at  Charlotte  and  Hillsboro;  Louisiana, 
at  Alexandria;  Arkansas,  at  Little  Rock;  Florida,  at 
Tallahassee;  then.  Texas;  and  finally  Alabama,  in  the 
thorough  reorganization  of  its  State  L^niversity,  at 
Tuscaloosa.  And,  thus,  had  no  fewer  than  ten  Southern 
States  followed  the  guidance  of  Virginia. 

The  operation  of  all  of  these  institutions  during  the 
war  was  greatly  embarrassed  by  the  Confederate  Con- 
scription Acts,  the  first  of  which  "entitled  an  act  to  pro- 
vide for  the  public  defense,"  approved  April  16,  1862, 
did  not  exempt  cadets  of  the  Southern  military  schools. 
This  Act  annulled  all  previous  contracts  made  by 
volimteers,  and  virtually  constituted  all  men  over 
eighteen  years  of  age  and  under  thirty-five,  soldiers,  dur- 
ing the  continuance  of  the  war.  The  provisions  with- 
drew from  State  control  all  male  citizens  within  the  age 
prescribed,  and  made  them  subject  to  the  control  of  the 
President  of  the  Confederacy,  during  the  war. 

Alabama  and  South  Carolina  complained  bitterly 
against  the  conscription  of  their  cadets;  and  Governor 
Brown,  of  Georgia,  became  involved  in  a  serious  con- 
troversy with  the  President  over  the  execution  of  the 
Conscript  Act.  Governor  Letcher  also  sought  to  secure 
exemption  for  the  cadets  of  the  Institute,  but  all  in  vain. 
It  was  suggested  to  him  by  the  President  that  a  test 
case  be  made  by  causing  a  cadet  to  be  called  into  service 
under  the  law,  and  Colonel  Smith  applying  for  a  writ 
of  habeas  coi'pns  for  the  conscript.  But  this  was  not 
necessary,  for  October  14,  1862,  the  Superintendent  was 
peremptorily  ordered  by  the  Governor  of  Virginia  not 
to  surrender  any  cadet  claimed  as  a  conscript  by  the 
Confederate  authority,  until  the  constitutionality  of  the 
law  should  be  tested,  the  legislative  will  of  the  State 
ascertained,   or  until   further   orders.*     At   all   times. 


♦Rebellion   Records,    Series   IV,   Vol.    III.   pp.    722-72.^. 


176  The  Military  History  or 

however,  the  Corps  as  a  mihtary  unit  was  held,  by  the 
Governor's  orders,  subject  to  the  will  of  General  Lee. 
and,  as  we  shall  see,  was  freely  employed  by  him. 

Such  was  also  the  case  with  the  Citadel  Military 
Academy,  of  South  Carolina.  Numbering  about  60 
cadets  in  1861,  and  something  over  100  in  1863,  that 
Corps  was  employed  repeatedly  during  the  war  to  man 
the  defenses  of  Charleston,  and  other  exposed  points. 
During  the  operations  of  Major- General  Samuel  Jones, 
between  December  5th  and  31st,  1864,  leading  up  to  the 
evacuation  of  Savannah,  Georgia,  the  Citadel  Cadet 
Corps  served  as  a  unit.*  Arriving  at  Pocotaligo  on 
the  6th  of  December,  it  was  designated  to  guard  the 
Tulfinny  trestle,  together  with  a  battalion  of  the  32d 
Georgia  Regiment,  and  a  section  of  artillery.  As  the 
enemy  approached  the  Cadet  Corps,  commanded  by 
Major  White,  was  moved  rapidly  forwarded  in  splendid 
fashion,  and  was  preparing  to  attack,  when  the  troops 
on  its  left  gave  way  and  fell  back  across  the  Coosaw- 
hatchie  River;  whereupon  the  cadets  were  withdrawn, 
after  having  actually  come  mider  fire  at  long  range. 
Major  White  and  his  Corps  were  highly  complimented 
by  the  commanding  general  for  their  gallant  conduct.** 

In  1865,  the  Citadel  Cadet  Corps  was  attached  to 
McGrath's  South  Carolina  brigade  and  fell  back  with 
Hardee  before  Sherman,  as  the  latter  pressed  north- 
ward. 

The  Attorney- General,  however,  in  spite  of  the  serv- 
ice the  Institute  and  other  military  schools  were 
capable  of  rendering,  and  actually  did  render,  was  com- 
pelled to  give  an  opinion  declaring  that  the  only  possible 
exemption  of  those  in  the  military  service  from  active 
duty,  was  in  the  case  of  Ordnance  Department  em- 
ployees ;  and  Congress  refused  to  extend  this  exemption 
to  cadets  of  military  schools,  on  the  ground  that  such 
institutions  would  prove  asylums  for  those  capable  of 
bearing   arms   and  wishing  to   escape   active  military 

*Jones  had  previously  employed  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  V.  M.  I.,  as  we  shall 
see,  against  Averill  in  1863,  on  two  occasions  while  commanding  the  Depart- 
ment of   Western   Virginia. 

♦♦Rebellion  Records,  Series  I,  Vol.  XLIV,  pp.  442-446. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  177 

service.  In  this  narrow  view  Congress  preferred  to 
leave  the  matter  to  the  executive  discretion,  depending 
on  the  President  to  enforce  service  from  the  cadets  in 
the  various  schools,  only  when  the  exigencies  of  the 
country  required.  And,  so,  it  remained  to  the  end  of 
the  war,  in  spite  of  every  effort  to  correct  the  letter  of 
the  law. 

As  far  as  the  Institute  was  concerned,  the  law 
actually  worked  no  hardship ;  for,  although  efforts  were 
made,  from  time  to  time,  to  conscript  cadets,  it  was 
soon  a  generally  recognized  fact  that  the  President 
would  not  enforce  the  law,  to  the  disadvantage  of  the 
Institute. 

As  the  age  limit  of  men  liable  to  military  duty  was 
but  eighteen,  the  Board  thought  wise  to  stimulate  ma- 
triculation at  the  Institute,  and  thereby  enhance  its  use- 
fulness, by  fixing  the  minimum  age  of  cadets  at  sixteen, 
instead  of  seventeen.  The  expected  results  were 
realized;  for,  soon  after  the  reopening  of  the  Institute, 
the  Corps  numbered  nearly  300  cadets,  50  of  whom  were 
appointed  by  the  President,  and  the  School  was  recog- 
nized by  all  as  the  "West  Point  of  the  Con- 
federacy." 

"Adjutant-General's  Office,  Virginia, 

"Richmond,  June  13,  1863. 

"His  Excellency,  Jefferson  Davis, 

"President  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America. 

"Sir — The  Virginia  Military  Institute  is  filled  to  the  utmost 
capacity,  and,  although  the  utmost  order  prevails,  with  an  earnest, 
even  zealous  attention  to  study,  and  obedience  to  all  the  rules  of 
discipline,  there  is  coupled  with  the  desire  of  each  cadet  to  complete 
his  course  a  restless  feeling  of  uncertainty  as  to  whether  they 
ought  not,  every  one  of  them,  to  be  in  tlie  field,  and  an  apprehension 
that  the  war  may  be  over  before  they  have  struck  one  blow  for 
Southern  liberty. 

"It  is  understood  that  you  regard  this  Institution  with  much 
interest  as  being  to  the  Confederate  States,  to  a  considerable  extent, 
what  West  Point  was  to  the  late  United  States,  and  as  possessing 
the  capacity  beyond  any  other  Southern  institution  of  training  the 
best  officers  for  the  Army. 


12 


178  The  Military  History  of 

"In  this  view,  if  it  shall  be  your  opinion  that  the  cadets  are 
more  in  line  of  their  duty  to  our  country  in  the  course  of  training 
at  the  Military  Institute,  and  will  in  fact  render  more  important 
service  to  the  Southern  Confederacy  by  completing  their  course 
than  by  entering  the  Army  before  they  graduate,  I  am  well  assured 
that  a  full  expression  of  your  opinion  and  wishes  will  have  a 
controlling  influence  over  them,  and  effectually  remove  all  doubt  or 
apprehension  in  their  minds  as  to  the  line  both  of  duty  and 
expediency. 

"The  Board  of  Visitors  and  the  Superintendent  are  most  anxious 
to  direct  the  operations  of  the  Institute  so  as  most  effectually  to 
meet  the  wants  and  wishes  of  the  Confederate  Government,  and  I 
beg  leave  to  say  for  them  that  it  will  be  most  gratifying  to  receive 
from  you  any  suggestions  or  recommendations  as  to  the  character 
and  duration  of  the  course  of  instruction,  and  on  any  and  all  other 
matters  which  in  your  judgment  has,  or  may  have,  an  important 
bearing  upon  its  prospective  value  to  our  common  cause. 

"I  beg  leave,  therefore,  with  the  highest  respect,  to  ask  a  full 
and  unreserved  expression  of  your  opinion  upon  the  whole  subject. 
"Very  respectfully  and  truly,  your  obedient  servant, 

"Wm.  H.  Richardson, 
"Adjutant-General  of  Virginia, 

"Ex-Officio  Member  of  the  Board."* 


"Richmond,  Va.,  June  17,  1863. 

"General  W.  H.  Richardson, 

"Adjutant-General  of  Virginia,  Richmond,  Va. 

"General — I  have  the  honor,  by  direction  of  the  President,  to 
acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  13th  instant,  in  re- 
lation to  the  Virginia  Military  Institute.  The  President  takes  a 
warm  interest  in  the  efficiency  and  success  of  the  military  schools 
in  the  several  States  of  the  Confederacy,  but  having  had  no  oppor- 
tunity to  form  any  opinion  by  observation  of  the  relative  merits  of 
the  systems  of  education  pursued  at  these  institutions,  he  does  not 
desire  to  be  understood  to  express  any  especial  preference  for  any. 
His  Excellency  is  debarred  from  expressing  any  opinion  as  to 
whether  the  cadets  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  do  better 
service  to  their  country  by  pursuing  their  studies  than  by  joining 
the  Army,  because  his  action  in  regard  to  the  matter  must  neces- 
sarily conform  to  the  law,  which  requires  all  citizens  who  are  over 
eighteen  years  of  age  to  enter  the  service,  and  which  leaves  him  no 
discretionary  power  to  which  the  case  of  cadets  who  have  become 
liable  to  military  duty  can  be  properly  referred.      The   President 

•Rebellion  Records,  Series  IV.  Vol.   II.  pp  502-503. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  179 

would  be  glad  to  comply  with  the  request  of  the  Board  of  Visitors, 
as  expressed  by  you,  that  he  should  make  suggestions  as  to  the 
'character  and  duration  of  the  course  of  instruction,'  etc.,  but  the 
pressure  of  public  business  will  only  allow  him  to  refer  the  Board 
to  a  report  made  by  him  in  1860  on  the  subject  of  military  edu- 
cation at  West  Point,  in  which  his  views  are  given  at  length. 

"With  assurances  of  the  President's  respect  and  esteem,  I  re- 
main, General, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"William  M.  Browne, 

"Colonel  and  Aide-de-Camp."* 

Upon  the  reorganization  of  the  army,  in  April,  1862, 
hundreds  of  the  Sieves  of  the  Virginia  Mihtary  Insti- 
tute, whose  training  and  service  entitled  them  to  higher 
command  than  they  had  hitherto  exercised,  were  recog- 
nized by  the  government  and  the  army.  It  was 
from  then  on  that  such  men  as  Robert  E.  Rodes, 
Wilham  Mahone,  W.  Y.  C.  Humes,  Gabriel  C. 
Wharton,  John  Echols,  Reuben  Lindsay  Walker, 
Raleigh  E.  Colston,  James  E.  Slaughter,  James  H. 
Lane,  James  A.  Walker,  Thomas  T.  Munford,  John 
McCausland,  Birkett  D.  Fry,  Wilham  R.  Terry, 
William  H.  Payne,  A.  C.  Jones,  J.  R.  Jones,  A.  J. 
Vaughan,  James  B.  Terrill,  and  James  W.  Allen, 
began  to  forge  ahead  in  the  higher  grades  of  the  service, 
and  that  others  began  to  occupy  some  of  the  most 
prominent  staff  positions  in  the  army,  among  which,  a 
few,  at  least,  should  be  mentioned. 

Colonel  Walter  H,  Taylor,  '57,  was  Adjutant-Gen- 
eral, Army  of  Northern  Virginia;  Colonel  Edwin  J. 
Harvie,  '55,  Inspector-General  to  General  Joseph  E. 
Johnston;  Colonel  Briscoe  G.  Baldwin,  '43,  Chief  of 
Ordnance,  and  Major  A.  R.  H.  Ranson,  '47,  Assistant 
Chief  of  Ordnance,  Army  of  Northern  Virginia;  Major 
Giles  B.  Cooke,  '59,  Assistant  Adjutant-General,  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia;  Brigadier-General  Reuben 
Lindsay  Walker,  '45,  Chief  of  Artillery,  3d  Corps; 
Colonel  Stapleton  Crutchfield,  '55,  Chief  of  Artillery, 
2d  Corps;  Thomas  H.  Carter,  '47,  Chief  of  Artillery, 

*Ibid.,  p.  597. 


180  The  Military  History  of 

Early's  Army;  and  Robert  Preston  Chew,  '61,  Chief 
of  Horse  Artillery,  Army  of  Northern  Virginia. 

We  have  already  said  that  wide-spread  prejudice 
existed  in  the  Southern  Army  against  the  graduates  of 
West  Point,  and  the  Institute,  because  of  the  great 
number  of  them  commissioned  at  the  beginning  of  the 
war. 

There  were  but  282  West  Pointers  who  joined  the 
Confederacy,  and  most  of  them  attained  high  rank. 
There  were  nearly  three  times  this  number  of  V.  M.  I. 
men  commissioned  in  the  service  (810).  We  are  com- 
pelled to  believe,  therefore,  that  another  prejudice  be- 
sides that  of  the  civilian  soldiers  militated  against  the 
Institute,  and  before  the  close  of  the  war  it  was  a  con- 
trolling one ;  for  West  Pointers  were  unwilling  to  share 
honors  with  the  eleves  of  any  other  School  of  Arms,  the 
V.  M.  I.  not  excepted.  But  there  were  some  V.  M.  I. 
men  who,  as  we  have  seen,  simply  could  not  be  denied 
their  due. 

The  fact  remains,  however,  that  at  the  close  of  the 
war,  William  Mahone  and  Reuben  Lindsay  Walker, 
and  a  few  other  graduates  of  the  Institute,  were  the 
only  general  officers  except  West  Pointers  remaining 
in  responsible  positions,  for  the  West  Point  influence 
had  triumphed.  The  fact  also  remains  that  Mahone's 
celebrated  division  was  practically  the  only  fighting 
organization  left  at  the  time  General  Lee  surrendered 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  Leaving  the  trenches 
at  Petersburg  with  30,000  men,  April  2d,  General  Lee 
arrived  at  Appomattox,  April  9th,  with  7,892  organized 
infantry.  The  Parole  rolls  include  a  grand  total  of 
28,231  officers  and  men  for  ten  divisions,  many  of  the 
number  having  rejoined  their  commands  after  the  sur- 
render. But  of  the  actual  number  present  at  the  sur- 
render, nearly  half  were  in  Mahone's  five  brigades, 
which  contained  3,537  officers  and  men. 

After  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  and  the  failure  of  the 
second  invasion  of  the  North,  General  Lee,  with  that 
magnanimity  by  which  he  was  characterized,  assuming 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  181 

all  blame,  and  willing  to  turn  over  the  command  of  the 
army  "to  one  better  able  to  lead  it"  than  himself,  should 
there  be  such  an  one,  tendered  his  resignation  to  the 
President,  and  recommended  that  a  younger  officer  be 
appointed  in  his  stead.  Mr.  Davis  wisely  declined  to 
consider  the  matter  and  persuaded  General  Lee  to  con- 
tinue in  command;  and  the  fact  that  he  had  tendered 
his  resignation  was  kept  a  profound  secret  for  a  long 
time.  When  it  did  come  out,  however,  there  was  great 
curiosity  on  the  part  of  all  to  know  whom  General  Lee 
had  recommended  as  his  successor. 

"Of  the  fact  that  some  younger  general  was  recom- 
mended by  Lee  at  the  time  of  his  resignation,  I  have 
undoubted  authority,  and,  if  any  body  questions  it,  I 
can  make  that  authority  known  any  time,"  wrote 
Major-General  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  of  the  Federal 
Army.* 

"It  has  come  out,  however,  that  General  William 
Mahone  was  the  man  recommended  by  Lee,  and  the 
statement  is  from  Lee's  own  mouth.  Since  Mahone's 
change  of  politics,  in  Virginia  it  has  been  most  stoutly 
contradicted.  It  is  but  just  to  Mahone  to  say  that, 
at  that  time,  he  was  ignorant  both  of  Lee's  resignation, 
and  of  his  recommendation."** 

To  substantiate  this  assertion,  General  Butler  pre- 
sented in  his  book  a  facsimile  letter,  the  text  of  which 
is  as  follows: 

"Washington,  D.  C,  March  10,  1889. 

"My  dear  General — It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  hand  you  a 
written  statement  of  a  conversation  at  the  table  of  General  R.  E. 
Lee,  which,  years  ago,  I  stated  to  your  wife,  yourself,  and  some 
twenty  gentlemen  at  your  table.  The  occasion  was  the  first  com- 
mencement of  Washington  and  Lee  University.  General  Wade 
Hampton  delivered  the  address  before  the  Literary  Societies,  and 
I,  before  the  Alumni.  General  Lee  gave  a  sort  of  State  dinner 
to  thirty  gentlemen.  I  think  I  was  the  only  officer  at  the  table 
below  the  rank  of  colonel.  And  the  honor  was  accorded  me  because 
I  was  the  orator  of  the  day.  After  the  cloth  was  drawn,  and  the 
wine  began  to  circulate,  some  gentlemen,  a  brigadier  from  Georgia 

•Butler's    Book,    p.    880. 
♦•Ibid. 


182  The  Military  History  or 

(I  think  it  was  General  Jackson  from  the  lower  end  of  the  table), 
asked  General  Lee  if  he  did  not  think  Gordon,  of  Georgia,  had 
developed  the  highest  qualities  for  command,  General  Lee,  with  his 
habitual  quiet  dignity,  replied,  'Where  all  did  so  well,  certainly  it 
would  be  invidious  and  improper  for  me  to  particularize.  General 
Gordon  was  a  brave  and  efficient  soldier.'  Then,  rising,  he  said, 
'Gentlemen,  fill  up  your  glasses.  Etiquette  demanded  that  this 
official  dinner  should  be  made  in  accordance  v,'ith  rank ;  gentlemen, 
I  propose  a  toast  which  all  will  drink  with  pleasure  to  the  privates 
of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  who,  I  still  sometimes  think, 
came  near  winning  immortal  fame  for  us.'  The  toast  was  drunk 
standing.  After  this  the  conversation  became  general,  and  some 
one  down  the  table  seemed  to  be  telling  a  good  story.  General 
Hampton  sat  on  the  right,  and  I,  as  orator  of  the  day,  sat  on  the 
left,  of  Lee.  Turning  to  Hampton,  General  Lee  said  something  in 
a  low  tone.  I  leaned  back,  as  I  thought  it  was  possible  it  might  be 
something  confidential.  Laying  his  hand  upon  my  knee,  he  said, 
'Lean  over.  Major;  I  only  wish  Hampton  and  yourself  to  hear.* 
Then,  'General  Hampton,  in  the  dark  days  which  preceded  the  fall 
of  the  Confederacy,  for  a  good  while,  I  was  almost  hopeless.  And 
you  know  I  did  not  spare  this  poor  life,  for  I  thought  it  became  me 
to  fall  on  one  of  those  fields  of  glory.  My  artillery  was  handled 
well.  The  cavalry  was  in  the  very  hands,  after  the  death  of  Stuart, 
that  I  preferred  to  any  other.  But  I  often  thought  if  a  stray  ball 
should  carry  me  oflP  who  could  best  command  the  incomparable 
infantry  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  Of  course,  I  could 
not  nominate  a  successor — that  whole  matter  was  in  the  hands  of 
the  President.  But,  among  the  younger  men,  I  thought  William 
Mahone  had  developed  the  highest  qualities  for  organization  and 
command.' 

"The  words  were  written  down  by  me  that  evening,  and  are  in 
my  desk  at  Ellwood.  I  write  them  now  hastily  in  a  public  room. 
But  I  know  they  are  accurate.  We  drifted  far  apart,  politically, 
and  I  so  entirely  condemned  your  policy  and  methods  that  I  would 
not  give  them  to  the  world.  Now,  I  cheerfully  write  them,  and, 
as  far  as  I  am  concerned,  this  may  be  an  open  letter  to  the  world.. 

"Very  truly  yours, 

"J.  Horace  Lacy. 
"To  General  William  Mahone." 

Major  Lacy  was  a  gentleman  of  the  highest  standing 
in  Virginia.  The  truth  of  his  evidence  has  been  bitterly 
assailed  and  denied,  as  often  as  it  has  been  presented; 
but  in  the  nature  of  things,  it  can  not  be  disproven.  It 
was  not  denied  by  General  Wade  Hampton,  who  died 
in  1902.    Wade  Hampton,  the  vei-y  soul  of  honor,  could 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  183 

have  dispelled  all  doubts  with  a  word.  But  the  writei' 
neither  intends  to  defend  the  Lacy  letter,  nor  to  pose  as 
the  champion  of  William  Mahone,  V.  M.  I.,  1847.  It  is 
sufficient  to  know  that  General  Lee  entertained  the 
highest  respect  for  his  military  abilities,  and  that  his 
career  as  a  leader  grew  more  illustrious  with  every  suc- 
ceeding day  of  his  service  in  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia.  Had  the  war  continued  longer,  he  would,  un- 
doubtedly, have  received  the  highest  recognition,  and 
brought  even  greater  credit  upon  the  School  of  Arms  in 
which  he  was  trained. 


184  The  Military  History  of 


CHAPTER  XIII 

winter  of  1862 — battle  of  mc  do  well 

December  18,  1861,  the  Superintendent  was  re- 
lieved of  his  command  at  Craney  Island  by  the  War 
Department,  and  returned  to  the  Institute,  under  the 
orders  of  the  Board  of  Visitors.  In  order  that  he  might 
bear  rank  of  equal  dignity  with  that  of  his  subordinate 
professor,  Jackson,  who  had  been  promoted  Major- 
General,  October  7th,  the  Superintendent  was  now  ap- 
pointed Major-General,  Virginia  Reserves. 

On  reaching  the  Institute,  General  Smith  found  him- 
self without  the  aid  of  a  single  professor  or  assistant 
professor,  with  upwards  of  a  hundred  cadets  ready  to 
report  for  duty,  January  1st.  The  orders  of  the  War 
Department  detaching  Colonel  Gilham  from  the  bri- 
gade which  he  was  commanding,  and  Major  Scott 
Shipp,  from  his  regiment  in  the  field,  had  been  tempo- 
rarily suspended  by  General  Jackson,  under  an 
emergency,  and  they  did  not  report  to  the  Superin- 
tendent until  January  16th,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Preston,  of  Jackson's  staff,  not  until  January  31st.* 
Meantime,  Major  Shipp  had  reported  for  duty  with  his 
regiment  December  1st,  in  Staunton,  from  which  point 
he  accompanied  it  down  the  Valley,  taking  part  in  the 
Romney  Campaign  early  in  January.  On  the  day 
Romney  was  captured  Major  Shipp  commanded  the 
skirmish  line  with  conspicuous  ability. 

Dr.  R.  L.  Madison,  however,  reported  on  the  2d, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Williamson  on  the  9th;  and 
Llewellyn  Crittenden,  E.  L.  Yancey,  and  Walter 
Bowie,  all  of  the  Class  of  1861,  were  inmiediately  ap- 
pointed assistant  professors,  and  assigned  to  tactical 
duties. 

*The  order  relieving  these  officers  from  duty  in  the  field  was  S.  O.  No. 
276,   A.   &   I.    C.   O.   Richmond,   Dec.   27,   1861. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  185 

On  the  16th,  Major  John  D.  H.  Ross,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Semmes,  also  reported. 

Exercises  were  commenced  January  2d;  and,  with 
the  Superintendent  and  the  Surgeon  alone  present,  the 
new  cadets  were  enrolled,  and  the  Corps  reorganized. 
By  the  end  of  January,  the  Corps  numbered  232  cadets 
present  for  duty,  including  22  in  the  Second,  and  65  in 
the  Third  Class,  or  a  total  of  but  87  old  cadets.  Ad- 
ditional cadets  soon  reported,  so  that  the  total  enroll- 
ment, February  4,  1861,  was  269.  Over  fifty  applicants 
were  refused  during  January  alone. 

Upon  the  reopening  of  the  Institute,  the  Superin- 
tendent received  a  communication  from  his  Excellency, 
Governor  Letcher,  stating  that  inquiry  had  been  made 
of  him  by  the  Secretary  of  State,  Hon.  R.  M.  T. 
Hunter,  on  behalf  of  the  President,  if  the  56  Con- 
federate Cadets  appointed  by  him  could  be  admitted  to 
the  Institute,  and  on  what  terms.  General  Smith  im- 
mediately replied  that  the  Institute  would  receive  such 
cadets  on  the  same  basis  as  Pay  Cadets  from  other 
States,  provided  the  Confederate  Government  would 
be  responsible  for  the  accounts  of  the  same;  and 
preparations  were  at  once  made  to  enlarge  the  Barracks 
for  their  accommodation. 

There  could  be  no  doubt  now  that  the  Confederacy 
regarded  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  as  its  National 
School  of  Arms;  and,  in  order  to  place  the  course  of 
practical  military  instruction  on  a  par  with  that  at  West 
Point,  the  Superintendent  urged  the  immediate  pro- 
vision of  36  horses  for  the  instruction  of  the  cadets  in 
cavalry  and  light  artillery  drill.  These  important  arms 
of  the  service  should  be  cared  for  at  the  Institute,  he 
urged,  and,  in  his  opinion,  no  expense  should  be  spared 
for  that  purpose.  "We  have  seen,"  said  he,  "what  has 
been  accomplished  by  the  cadets  in  the  camp  of  in- 
struction, for  infantry,  and  in  part,  in  the  artillery 
camp.  More  can  yet  be  done,  and  it  should  not  be 
neglected." 


186  The  Military  History  of 

The  heaviest  loss  whicli  had  befallen  the  Institute  up 
to  this  time  was  the  death  of  General  Philip  St.  George 
Cocke,  on  December  26,  1861.  Appointed  Brigadier- 
General,  October  21,  1861,  while  President  of  the 
Board,  after  commanding  a  brigade  with  distinction  at 
First  Manassas,  he  was  finally  compelled,  at  the  end  of 
eight  months'  service,  to  retire  to  his  home  in  Powhatan 
County,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-three. 

He  had  served  on  the  Board  from  1846  to  1852,  and 
from  1858  until  the  time  of  his  death.  From  the  day  of 
its  founding,  he  had  been  one  of  the  foremost  supporters 
of  the  Institute,  not  only  contributing  large  sums  of 
money,  and  unremitting  labors  to  its  welfare;  but,  also 
by  enrolling  as  cadets  his  three  grown  sons.  It  was 
with  the  funds  secretly  provided  by  General  Cocke  that 
the  Superintendent  visited  Europe  in  1858  to  study  the 
continental  systems  of  military  instruction,  and  it  was 
his  large  donation  to  the  Institute  that  founded  the  first 
School  of  Scientific  Agriculture  in  the  State  of  Vir- 
ginia. Even  to-day,  two  cadets  are  still  educated  by 
the  Cocke  scholarships.  In  Philip  St.  George  Cocke, 
the  West  Pointer,  and  former  artillery  officer,  the  Insti- 
tute, as  a  technical  School  of  Arms,  found  its  most  able 
advocate  and  executor  of  the  original  ideas  of  Crozet. 
All  honor  to  his  memory ;  and  may  a  fitting  monument 
some  day  be  erected  at  the  Institute,  along  with  those 
of  Claude  Crozet,  Francis  Henney  Smith,  John  Thomas 
Lewis  Preston,  William  Gilham,  Matthew  Fontaine 
Maury,  John  Mercer  Brooke,  Scott  Shipp,  and  William 
H.  Richardson,  to  memorialize  the  services  of  this  i-e- 
markable  galaxy  of  men  to  Virginia  and  her  great 
School  of  Arms.  Had  General  Cocke  with  his  great 
fortune  survived  the  war,  it  seems  certain  many  of  the 
difficulties  in  which  the  Institute  was  involved  in  the 
dark  days  of  reconstruction  w^ould  have  been  averted.* 

The  first  wrecks  of  the  session  of  1862  comprised  a 
period  of  reorganization  fraught  with  great  difficulties. 

•As  these  lines  are  written  news  of  the  death  of  his  second  sou.  Philip 
St.  George  Cocke,  comes  to  hand.  Mr.  Cocke  was  a  cadet  at  New  Market 
as  was  his  younger  brother,  the  late  William  R.  C.  Cocke  (two  of  whose  sons 
were  Cadets  at  the  Institute)  ;  an  older  brother.  Lieutenant  John  B.  Cocke,  was 
graduated   in   the  Class  of   1856. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  187 

Many  parents  sent  their  sons  to  the  Institute  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  practical  exemption  they  would  there 
receive  from  conscription,  knowing,  however,  the 
liability  of  the  Corps  to  military  service.  There  was  no 
First  Class  from  which  to  draw  mature  cadet  officers; 
onty  a  small  Second  Class,  and  a  Third  Class  also  small 
in  number,  which  had  served  but  a  part  of  the  preceding 
year.  The  plebes  were  largely  in  the  majority,  and 
many  of  them  matriculated  under  virtual  duress.  Such 
was  the  problem  confronting  the  new  Commandant, 
Major  Shipp,  made  more  difficult  by  reason  of  the 
resignation  of  cadets  from  day  to  day  to  join  the  army 
with  the  consent  of  their  parents,  the  irregular  report- 
ing of  new  cadets,  and  the  desertion  of  others  in  order 
to  enlist  in  the  army. 

A  strong  hand  was  required  to  bring  discipline  out 
of  such  an  organization;  and,  that  it  was  applied,  is 
evidenced  bv  the  fact  that  all  cadets  deficient  at  the  ex- 
aminations,  or  neglectful  of  their  military  duty,  were 
promptly  dismissed,  those  over  eighteen  years  of  age 
being  turned  over  to  the  army.  Over  70  cadets  were 
thus  dismissed  at  one  examination;  but  others  were 
always  at  hand  to  keep  the  Corps  well  recruited.  The 
difficulty  was  that  many  were  purposely  neglectful,  in 
order  to  enter  the  active  military  service. 

Great  difficulties  were  also  experienced  in  providing 
uniform  cloth,  shoes,  clothing  in  general,  and  rations, 
for  so  large  a  body  of  cadets;  but,  with  the  aid  of  the 
Quartermaster-General,  supplies  were  secured  and 
transported  to  Lexington  from  the  far  South  by  the 
direction  of  the  President.  The  blockade-runners  con- 
tributed books  and  many  other  necessary  articles. 

The  arms  issued  to  the  Corps  at  this  time  were  the 
old  smooth-bore  percussion  cap  muskets,  formerly  used 
by  the  cadets.  They  were  very  heavy,  unserviceable, 
and,  therefore,  unsatisfactory;  but  more  efficient  small 
arms  were  not  to  be  had,  and  were  even  much  needed  in 
the  army. 

Major  Shipp  conducted  regular  artillery  practice 
with  the  smooth-bore  guns  at  the  Institute,  including 


188  The  Military  History  or 

the  howitzers,  the  6-pounders  of  the  Cadet  Battery,  and 
several  old  mortars  stored  in  the  Arsenal.  The  iron 
rifles  had  been  taken  from  the  cadets  in  Richmond,  the 
preceding  April. 

As  the  Corps  grew  from  week  to  week,  additions  to 
the  faculty  became  necessary.  Early  in  April,  there- 
fore, Lieutenant-Colonel  James  W.  Massie,  '49,  of 
Jackson's  staff,  physically  disabled  for  active  service 
in  the  field,  reported  for  duty  as  Professor  of  Mathe- 
matics, and  was  assigned  by  the  War  Department  to 
the  command  of  the  local  Home  Guards  which  he  was 
directed  to  organize  and  discipline. 

In  April,  Captains  Abel  S.  Scott,  '60,  and  Henry  A. 
Wise,  '61,  also  reported  for  duty,  the  latter  on  parole, 
and  were  attached  to  the  Tactical  Department. 

Before  spring,  the  Corps  had  been  hammered  into 
excellent  shape,  notwithstanding  the  constant  losses  and 
accessions;  and,  while  great  attention  had  been  devoted 
to  military  instruction  throughout  the  winter,  the  near 
approach  of  the  enemy  in  the  western  part  of  the  State 
required  the  suspension  in  April  of  all  academic  duty, 
in  order  that  more  time  might  be  available  for  practical 
instruction  in  the  field. 

On  the  22d  of  April,  the  Superintendent  announced 
in  orders  his  purpose  of  tendering  the  services  of  the 
Corps  to  General  Jackson,  who  was  then  operating 
against  the  enemy  in  the  Valley  District.  This  order 
filled  the  Corps  with  the  utmost  zeal.  Resignations  and 
disorders  now  ceased  and  all  bent  their  energies  to  the 
work  before  them,  praying  that  active  service  would 
soon  be  demanded  of  them. 

In  order  to  understand  the  sentiments  animating  the 
Corps,  at  this  time,  it  is  necessary  to  know  the  feeling 
which  the  cadets  entertained  for  the  Army  of  the  Valley. 
General  Jackson  they  regarded  as  their  special  tutelary 
genius.  He  belonged  to  the  Institute,  heart  and  soul, 
and  his  name  was  still  borne  on  its  rolls.  According  to 
his  own  expressed  wishes  he  was  considered  as  on  leave 
of  absence  in  the  field.     Colonels  Preston  and  Massie, 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  189 

of  his  staff,  temporarily  relieved  from  field  duty,  were 
at  the  Institute,  but  Major  Daniel  Trueheart,  '50,  was 
still  serving  as  Jackson's  Chief  of  Artillery,  and  Dr. 
E.  L.  Graham  as  his  Surgeon. 

His  army  was  composed  at  this  time  as  follows : 


First  Brigade  ("Stonewall")  : 

Brigadier-General  Garnett  - 


Second  Brigade: 

Colonel   Burks 
Third  Brigade: 


2d  Virginia 
4th  Virginia 
5th  Virginia 
27th  Virginia 
33d  Virginia 


21st  Virginia 

42d  Virginia 

48th  Virginia 

1st  Regular  Battalion  (Irish) 


{10th  Virginia 
23d  Virginia 
37th  Virginia 

McLaughlin's  Battery 8  guns 

Water's  Battery 4  guns 

Carpenter's  Battery 4  guns 

Marye's  Battery 4  guns 

Shumaker's  Battery 4  guns 

Chew's  Horse  Artillery  Battery 3  guns 

7th  Virginia  Cavalry 

The  infantry  numbered  about  3,600,  the  cavalry  600 
and  the  six  batteries,  with  their  27  guns,  about  500  men. 

In  this  command  were  at  least  100  former  cadets 
serving  in  various  capacities  under  their  old  professor. 
In  the  2d  Virginia,  there  were  Colonel  James  W.  Allen, 
'43,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Raleigh  T.  Colston,  '46,  Major 
Lawson  Botts,  '49,  and  Major  Francis  B.  Jones,  '48.* 
In  the  4th  Virginia,  there  were  Major  William  R. 
Terry,  '50  (subsequently  Colonel  in  the  27th  Regiment) , 
Colonel  John  Echols,' '43,  and  Major  Wilham  W. 
Gordon,  '50,  who  succeeded  Echols  in  command.  In 
the  33d  Virginia,  were  Colonel  Arthur  C.  Cummings, 

♦Francis  Lackland,  '49,  as  Lieutenant-Colonel,  commanded  this  regiment 
at  First  Manassas. 


190  The  Military  History  of 

'44,  Lieutenant-Colonel  John  R.  Jones,  '48,  and 
John  F.  Xeff,  '58  (later  Colonel  of  the  regiment). 

The  Artillery  of  the  Stonewall  Brigade,  at  this  time, 
consisted  of  the  Rockbridge  Battery,  of  Lexington,  and 
the  Alleghany  Battery  from  the  neighborhood  of  Cov- 
ington. Nearly  every  member  of  the  former  was  well 
known  to  the  officers  and  cadets  of  the  Institute,  and 
in  it  they  naturally  felt  a  proprietary  interest.  Its  com- 
mander, Wilham  McLaughlin,  was  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Visitors.  Joseph  H.  Carpenter,  '56,  com- 
manded the  Alleghany  battery,  and  in  it  were  several 
old  cadets,  including  the  Orderly- Sergeant.  So  much 
for  the  Stonewall  Brigade. 

In  the  Second  Brigade,  commanded  by  Colonel 
Jesse  S.  Burks,  '44,  there  were  Colonel  John  M.  Patton, 
Jr.,  '46  (who  had  succeeded  Colonel  Gilham  in  com- 
mand of  the  21st  Regiment),  and  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Wilham  P.  Moseley,  '61,  Major  John  B.  Moseley,  '60; 
and  Major  Scott  Shipp,  the  Commandant,  still  held 
his  commission  as  Major  in  this  regiment  which  he  had 
assisted  Colonel  Gilham  in  recruiting  and  organizing. 
In  the  42d  Virginia,  Jesse  S.  Burks,  '44,  was  Colonel, 
P.  B.  Adams,  '49,  Major;  while  John  A.  Campbell,  '44, 
was  Colonel  of  the  48th  Virginia. 

In  the  Third  Brigade,  Colonel  Wilham  B.  Taliaferro, 
formerly  President  of  the  Board  of  Visitors,  com- 
manded the  23d  Virginia  with  Clayton  G.  Coleman,  Jr., 
an  ex-cadet,  as  his  Lieutenant-Colonel.  In  the  37th  Vir- 
ginia, Robert  P.  Carson,  '54,  was  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
commanding,  and  Titus  V.  Williams,  '59,  was  a  Major, 
and  later  Colonel;  while  Simeon  B.  Gibbons,  '52, 
commanded  the  10th  Virginia  (later  killed). 

In  the  Horse  Artillery  Battery,  all  four  of  the  officers 
were  fresh  from  the  Institute,  and  no  outfit  in  the  army 
so  appealed  to  the  pride  of  the  Corps  as  did  Chew's 
Battery,  by  reason  of  its  brilliant  exploits,  the  youth  of 
its  commissioned  personnel,  and  the  fact  that  it  was 
organized  and  exclusively  officered  by  men  with  whom 
every  old  cadet  in  the  Corps  had  recently  served  at  the 
Institute. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  191 

On  the  11th  day  of  November,  1861,  Robert  Preston 
Chew,  aged  nineteen,  Milton  Rouss,  seventeen,  and 
James  W.  Thomson,  eighteen,  all  of  the  Class  of  1861, 
under  special  authority  of  the  Secretary  of  War, 
organized  the  first  Horse  Battery  in  the  Confederate 
Army.  Soon,  James  W.  McCarty,  '60,  joined  the 
battery  as  junior  second  lieutenant. 

The  original  armament  of  this  battery  consisted  of  a 
6-inch  iron  rifle,  a  12-pounder  howitzer,  and  an  imported 
Blakeley  rifle. 

"Chew's  Battery  was  Ashby's  pet,  and  under  the 
gallant  Chew  it  was  as  much  Ashby's  right  arm,  as 
Ashby  was  the  right  arm  of  Jackson.  Indeed,  the 
fame  of  this  battery  extended  throughout  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia,  and  the  attestations  to  its  dis- 
tinguished service  are  too  nimierous  for  mention."* 

"In  the  minds  of  the  people  of  the  Valley,  the  Ashby 
cavalry  and  Chew's  Battery  belonged  to  one  another 
as  by  natural  affinity,  and  thej^  located  the  position  of 
the  Federals  by  the  familiar  crack  of  'Chew's  Blakeley' 
which  awakened  the  echoes  of  the  moimtains,  and  spread 
commotion  in  the  encampments  of  the  enemy,  ere  the 
farmers  had  aroused  to  call  and  feed  their  hogs."** 

Officered  by  young,  energetic,  and  highly-trained 
young  men  who  have  been  tutored  by  Jackson  himself, 
it  was  natural  that  this  command  should  attain  a  dis- 
tinction second  to  none  in  the  service.  After  the  death 
of  Ashby,  it  served  in  the  famous  battalion  of  Stuart 
Horse  Artillery,  and  was,  perhaps,  engaged  in  more 
affairs  than  any  batterj'  in  the  army.  In  1863,  Chew 
became  a  major  of  Horse  Artillery,  and  March  1,  1865, 
was  promoted  Lieutenant-Colonel,  commanding  the 
Stuart  Horse  Artillery,  proving  himself  a  worthy  suc- 
cessor of  the  "gallant"  Pelham.  Jimmie  Thomson  be- 
came a  Major  of  Horse  Artillery,  and  was  killed  at  the 
High  Bridge  in  April,  three  days  before  the  Surrender. 

When  the  youthful  Captain  Chew,  with  his  even  more 
youthful  lieutenants,  reported  for  duty  to  Jackson,  the 

•General    Thomas    T.    Miinford. 

**See  History  of  the  Laurel  Brigade,  McDonald,  pp.  30-35. 


192  The  Military  History  of 

latter's  face  wore  a  quizzical  expression,  as  he  inquired: 
"Young  men,  now  that  you  have  your  company,  what 
are  you  going  to  do  with  it?"  There  was  no  reply  to 
this  question  then,  but  the  answer  came  soon,  for  but 
a  few  weeks  later,  Captain  Chew,  Milton  Rouss,  Jim- 
mie  Thomson,  and  Jimmie  McCarty,  performed  a  feat 
of  arms  with  their  battery,  believed  to  be  impossible 
until  they  executed  it,  and  that  was  a  charge  in  the  front 
rank  of  Ashby's  cavalry  upon  the  enemy  at  Middletown, 
on  which  occasion  the  guns  were  unlimbered  and  dis- 
charged at  a  distance  of  not  over  fifty  yards  from  the 
Federals.  Chew  not  only  originated  this  hazardous 
practice,  but  performed  similar  feats  of  daring  on  many 
other  fields  thereafter.*  How  the  old  drill-master's  heart 
must  have  swelled  with  pride  over  the  exploits  of  young 
Chew,  and  his  other  former  pupils! 

After  reviewing  the  composition  of  the  Army  of  the 
Valley,  it  is  easy  to  understand  the  proprietary  interest 
the  Corps  felt  in  it,  and  the  longing  the  cadets  enter- 
tained to  join  in  active  service  those  whom  they  had 
either  known  or  of  whom  they  had  heard  so  much,  at 
the  Institute. 

The  long-expected  order  soon  followed  the  prepara- 
tions of  the  Superintendent,  and,  on  May  1st,  the  fol- 
lowing communication  was  received  by  him : 

"Swift  Run  Gap,  April  30,  1862. 

"Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"Superintendent,  Virginia  Military  Institute. 

"General — Please  march  the  cadets  at  once  to  Staunton,  if  you 
feel  authorized  to  co-operate  in  an  important  movement  which  I 
will  explain  to  you  when  we  meet;  as  many  of  the  cadets'  parents 
may  have  sent  their  sons  to  the  Institute  for  the  purpose  of  keeping 
them  out  of  the  field,  at  present,  I  can  provide  for  all  such  cases, 
and  even  for  the  entire  Corps,  if  necessary,  by  assigning  them  to 
the  care  of  the  provisions,  and  the  baggage  train;  and  thus  let 
volunteers  go  into  battle  who  would  be  otherwise  kept  out.  The 
duty  I  know  would  not  be  congenial  to  the  feelings  of  our  brave 
Corps  which  I  am  well  satisfied  would  desire  to  advance ;    but  the 

*See  History  of  Laurel  Brigade,  McDonald,  p.  32.  Also  The  Long  Arm  ot 
Lee,  Wise. 


MAJOR-GENERAL    WILLIAM    H.    RICHARDSON 
Adjutant-General    of    Virginia    1841-1865,    1866-1875 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  193 

patriot  (and  I  regard  each  one  of  them  as  such)  is  willing  to  take 
any  position  where  he  can  best  serve  his  country.  Should  vou 
co-operate  with  me,  you  will  be  absent  from  the  Institute  for  a  few 
days,  but  I  trust  that  an  ever-kind  Providence  will  afterguards 
permit  the  Institute,  uninterruptedly,  to  press  forward  in  its  great 
mission. 

"Please  let  me  hear  from  you  at  once.  Send  your  dispatch  to 
the  care  of  Major  A.  W.  Harman,  Staunton. 

"I  am.  General, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"T.  J.  Jackson, 

"Maj  or-General." 

The  response  to  this  call  was  the  immediate  publica- 
tion of  the  following  order: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"May  1,  1862. 

"General  Orders — No.  46. 

"The  enemy  are  hovering  upon  our  borders,  and  are  threatening 
to  drive  us  from  our  homes.  The  Army  of  General  T.  J.  Jackson 
is  preparing  to  meet  and  repel  their  invasion  of  our  Valley,  and  in 
the  critical  emergency  pressing  upon  him,  I  have  tendered  to 
General  Jackson  the  co-operation  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets.  General 
Jackson  has  accepted  their  services,  and  calls  upon  me  to  march 
to  Staunton  this  morning. 

"The  Corps  of  Cadets,  under  command  of  Major  S.  Shipp.  will 
be  in  marching  condition  as  soon  as  practicable,  and  proceed  forth- 
with to  Staunton.  I  want  no  cadet  to  accompany  the  command, 
except  those  who  feel  that  they  go  with  the  consent  of  their  parents, 
either  presumed  or  actual.  I  have  no  time  to  consult  all,  but  have 
to  presume  upon  the  patriotic  impulse  of  parents  whose  wishes 
would  be  to  defend  the  home  now  so  seriously  threatened.  Let  us 
go  into  this  service  which  will  be  but  for  a  few  days,  with  the 
ardor  and  devotion  of  the  true  sons  of  the  South,  resolved  to  main- 
tain the  independence  of  our  beloved  country. 

"Major  Shipp  will  detail  a  guard  to  take  charge  of  the  public 
property.  Col.  William  Gilham  and  Lt.  H.  A.  Wise  will  remain  in 
charge  of  the  Institute,  the  command  devolving  upon  Col.  Gilham. 

"By  command  of 

"General  Smith." 

To  understand  the  necessity  of  calling  out  the  cadets, 
it  is  necessary  to  briefly  review  the  military  situation 
in  Virginia,  in  the  spring  of  1862. 


18 


194  The  Military  History  of 

McClellan  had  assembled  an  immense  army  of 
200.000  men  about  Washington,  and  Shields  was  in 
command  of  46,000  Federal  troops — a  long  line  from 
Fredericksbm-g  to  Romney.  About  40,000  Federals  had 
assembled  under  General  Banks,  along  the  Potomac. 
Early  in  March,  Banks  commenced  his  advance  from 
Harper's  Ferry  into  the  Valley,  and  Jackson  with  his 
small  army,  instead  of  retiring,  advanced  and  offered 
Banks  battle  on  the  7th,  and  again  on  the  11th,  of 
March.  Falling  back  through  Winchester  to  Stras- 
burg,  Jackson  again  took  up  a  position,  in  the  hope  that 
he  would  be  attacked;  but  the  enemy  remained  in 
Winchester  until  the  18th,  when  Banks  sent  Shields, 
who  had  reinforced  him  with  12,000  men,  forward  to 
Strasburg.  Jackson  retired  slowly  up  the  Valley  as  far 
as  Mount  Jackson.  Ashby,  witli  his  cavalry  and  Chew's 
Battery,  disputed  every  foot  of  the  way.  Meantime, 
Banks  was  ordered  to  Manassas,  and  Shields  was  left 
at  Winchester. 

Upon  learning  on  the  22d  that  Shields  alone  was  now 
before  him,  Jackson  determined  upon  an  attack.  Gen- 
eral Shields  had  been  woimded  by  a  shell  from  Chew's 
"Blakeley"  and  was  succeeded  in  command  by  Kim- 
ball, who  formed  his  line  in  the  vicinity  of  Kernstown, 
some  miles  south  of  Winchester.  The  Confederates 
were  repulsed,  with  a  loss  of  718  killed  and  wounded, 
and,  although  unsuccessful  in  this  fight,  so  alarmed  Mr. 
Lincoln  that  McDowell,  with  40,000  men,  was  posted 
at  Fredericksburg,  and  Banks  was  ordered  back  to  the 
Valley  to  oppose  Jackson. 

About  the  1st  of  April,  Banks  had  succeeded  in 
driving  Jackson's  Cavalry  back  as  far  as  Edinburg, 
where  Ashby  clung  on  for  over  three  weeks. 

By  April  15th,  Jackson  had  increased  his  force  to 
a  little  over  6,000  men;  but  Banks,  who  had  been  heavily 
reinforced,  made  an  advance  on  the  17th,  and  reached 
Harrisonburg  on  the  22d. 

It  was  this  near  approach  which  had  caused  General 
Smith  to  prepare  the  cadets  for  field  service,  and  to 
tender  the  use  of  the  Corps  to  General  Jackson. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  195 

From  Harrisonburg,  Jackson  crossed  the  Shenan- 
doah at  Conrad's  Store,  and  went  into  camp  in  Elk  Run 
Valley.  He  was  not  equal  to  fighting  Banks  in  the  open 
country  between  Harrisonburg  and  Staunton,  but,  in 
this  position,  would  be  a  constant  threat  to  the  safety 
of  that  general.  With  Banks  advancing  up  the  Valley 
towards  Staunton,  Milroy  at  McDowell,  and  Fremont 
moving  up  the  South  Branch  Valley,  it  seemed  Staunton 
and  Lexington  were  doomed. 

General  Ewell  was  encamped  on  the  Upper  Rappa- 
hannock with  his  division  of  8,000  men.  General  Ed- 
ward, Johnson,  with  a  brigade,  had  marched  back  to 
within  a  few  miles  of  Staunton.  McDowell's  advance 
liad  reached  Fredericksburg.  In  order  to  divert 
McDowell  from  his  contemplated  junction  with  the 
right  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  which,  under 
McClellan,  had  assailed  Johnston  at  Yorktown,  Gen- 
eral Lee  now  authorized  Jackson  to  employ  Ewell's 
division. 

On  the  29th,  Ewell  arrived  at  the  Elk  Run  Valley, 
and  Jackson  moved  up  the  river  to  Port  Republic,  while 
Ashby  demonstrated  before  Banks  at  Harrisonburg. 
Jackson's  intentions  were  guarded  with  the  utmost 
secrecy  fi'om  now  on,  and  not  even  his  brigade  com- 
manders knew  his  plans.  On  May  3d,  he  turned  to  the 
left  and  crossed  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountains,  directing 
his  march  to  a  station  on  Meechum's  River.  Everyone 
was  bewildered  by  his  movements.  Ewell  and  all,  save 
Ashby,  were  as  much  mystified  as  the  enemy  who  were 
completely  in  the  dark.  Mr.  Lincoln  and  General 
Halleck  received  information  of  Jackson's  simultaneous 
appearance  in  at  least  three  different  places.  None  of 
them  knew  the  contents  of  the  following  letter : 

"Brown's  Gap,  May  3,  1862. 

"Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"Superintendent,  Virginia  Military  Institute. 

"General — Since  leaving  Swift  Run  Gap,  the  heavy  roads  have 
prevented  my  reaching  Staunton,   as   I   hoped  to  do  by   inarching 


196  The  Military  History  of 

across  the  country  by  Port  Republic;    but  I  hope  in  a  few  days  to 
be  with  you  in  Staunton. 

"I  trust  that  neither  yourself,  nor  any  member  of  your  com- 
mand, will  have  occasion  to  regret  this  temporary  suspension  of  the 
Institute.  It  is  unnecessary  for  you  to  come  this  side  of  Staunton. 
Should  you  have  any  leisure  time,  it  would  be  well  spent  in 
familiarizing  yourself  with  the  country,  if  you  are  not  already 
acquainted  with  it,  in  the  direction  of  the  enemy,  as  far  as  our 
pickets.  I  send  you  herewith  a  pass.  I  desire  all  the  information 
possible  respecting  the  military  features  of  the  country  between 
us  and  the  enemy. 

"Yesterday,  Colonel  Williamson  was  reconnoitering  this  pass,  but 
will  soon  be  in  the  Valley. 

"I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  bringing  the  artillery.  It  is 
very  desirable  to  arouse  the  people,  and  to  induce  as  many  as 
possible  to  come  forward  and  meet  this  special  emergency,  and  with 
such  arms  as  they  may  have. 

"It  is  very  important  to  keep  our  movements  concealed  from  the 
enem3\  and.  to  this  end,  our  people  should  say  nothing  about  our 
Army. 

"Ashby  has  a  large  cavalry  force,  which  is  mainly  designed  at 
present  to  cover  my  present  march  to  Staunton. 

'  'With  you,  I  am  assured  our  God  will  prosper  our  cause.  Please 
remember  me  very  kindly  to  the  officers  who  are  with  you. 

"I  am,  General, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"T.  J.  Jackson." 

This  letter,  written  by  Jackson  when  he  was  heading 
directly  away  from  Staunton,  clearly  established  his  in- 
tention to  return  to  that  point  at  which  the  Corps  had 
arrived  on  the  day  it  was  written. 

Leaving  Lexington  at  noon  of  the  1st,  the  Corps  had 
camped  that  night  at  Fairfield,  after  a  march  of  12 
miles,  and  the  next  night  at  Mint  Springs,  20  miles 
farther  on,  leaving  but  a  six-mile  march  the  third  day. 
No  guns  were  taken,  as  assumed  by  General  Jackson.* 

General  Smith  preceded  the  Corps,  and,  upon  arriv- 
ing in  Staunton,  immediately  reported  to  General 
Jackson,  receiving  the  letter  before  quoted,  in  reply. 

The  Corps  did  not  find  the  famous  "Stonewall 
Brigade"  and  the  other  troops  of  Jackson's  command 

♦This  statement  is  made  upon  the  authority  of  General  Shipp,  who  was  in 
command. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  197 

awaiting  it  in  Staunton.  In  Ewell's  division,  there  were 
also  many  old  friends  the  cadets  and  officers  had  hoped 
to  see.  That  division  was  composed  of  Taylor's 
Louisiana  Brigade;  Elzey's  Brigade,  13th,  31st,  and 
25th  Virginia,  and  12th  Georgia;  Scott's  Brigade,  44th, 
52d,  and  58th  Virginia;  the  1st  Maryland  Regiment, 
and  the  2d  and  6th  Virginia  Cavalry,  with  6  batteries 
of  artillery.  In  the  Virginia  regiments  were  many 
former  cadets. 

Thomas  T.  Munford,  '52,  was  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
commanding  the  2d  Virginia  Cavalry,  and  Cary 
Breckinridge,  '60,  was  a  major  in  that  regiment.  In  the 
13th  Virginia  Infantry,  there  were  Colonel  James  B. 
Terrill,  '58,  Lieutenant-Colonel  James  A.  Walker,  '52, 
and  Major  John  B.  Sherrard,  '45.  George  A.  Porter- 
field,  '44,  commanded  the  25th  Virginia,  with  George  H. 
Smith,  '53,  as  one  of  his  majors,  later  colonel. 
Francis  M.  Boykin,  '56,  and  Joseph  H.  Chenoweth, 
'59,  were  lieutenant-colonel  and  major  in  the  31st 
Virginia,  respectively.  A.  C.  Jones,  '50,  was  a  major 
in  the  44th  Virginia,  and  John  D.  Lilley,  '58,  and 
John  D.  H.  Ross,  '59,  were  majors  in  the  52d  Virginia, 
while  Stapleton  Crutchfield,  '55,  was  lieutenant-colonel 
of  the  58th  Virginia.  Besides  these  field-officers,  there 
were  many  other  former  cadets  in  Ewell's  division,  most 
of  the  yoimger  ones  commanding  companies  in  the 
various  regiments,  or  batteries.  But  of  all  these,  only 
those  of  Elzey's,  or  Edward  Johnson's,  Brigade,  were 
to  take  part  in  the  operations  immediately  ensuing. 

Sunday,  May  4th,  after  reaching  Meechum's  River, 
Jackson  entrained  his  infantry  for  Staunton,  leaving 
his  artillery  and  wagon  train  to  follow  by  road.  Banks, 
like  McDowell,  meantime  had  received  what  he  believed 
to  be  the  most  reliable  intelligence  of  Jackson's  progress 
past  Gordons ville  to  join  Lee. 

WHien  Jackson's  troops  returned  to  Staunton  on  the 
4th  and  5th,  it  was  rimiored  that  Ashby  was  being 
rapidly  forced  back  upon  the  town  by  Banks,  and  that 
Edward  Johnson  was  also  being  driven  in  from  the 


198  The  Military  History  of 

west  by  Milroy.  Yet,  he  rested  his  troops  on  the  6th, 
and  prepared  for  the  sudden  movements  he  was  about 
to  undertake.  This  delay  was  not  at  all  pleasing  to 
General  Smith,  who,  having  flattered  himself  upon  the 
confidence  Jackson  had  placed  in  him,  now  perceived 
that  he  knew  no  more  of  his  ultimate  aims  than  any  one 
else.  It  was  in  a  peevish  state  of  mind,  therefore,  after 
three  days  of  idle  waiting  in  and  about  Staunton,  ex- 
amining the  terrain  thereabout,  perhaps,  as  suggested 
in  Jackson's  dispatch,  little  improved  by  the  Board's 
disapproval  of  his  action  in  turning  out  the  Corps,  that 
he 'addressed  the  following  letter  to  the  Commanding 
General : 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"Staunton,  May  6,  1862. 

"Major-General  T.  J.  Jackson, 

"Commanding  Valley  District. 

"General — In  tendering  to  you  the  co-operation  of  the  Corps 
of  Cadets,  for  the  defense  of  this  portion  of  the  Valley,  to  the 
extent  of  my  authority  and  means,  I  was  prompted  by  a  sense  of 
duty  devolving  upon  me  as  Commandant  of  the  Public  Guard  at 
Lexington,  and  by  a  desire  to  make  an  effort  to  protect  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute  from  destruction. 

"On  reaching  Staunton  with  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  I  reported 
my  arrival  to  the  Adjutant-General  of  Virginia,  and  regret  to  find 
that  the  presumed  authority  which  I  had  supposed  that  I  had 
received  from  that  officer  had  been  misunderstood,  and  that  the 
Board  was  unanimous  in  their  disapprobation  of  the  cadets  being 
in  any  way  subjected  to  the  risk  of  battle,  unless  in  the  immediate 
defense  of  Lexington,  and  also  objected  to  the  co-operation  on  the 
part  of  the  Corps  with  military  movements  in  the  field.  The  view 
taken  by  the  Board  is  based  upon  the  idea  'that  it  would  be  a  breach 
of  good  faith  on  the  part  of  the  Institute  towards  parents  and 
guardians.'  Subsequently,  the  Governor  has  said  'that  as  the  mis- 
chief had  been  done,  we  had  as  well  go  on.' 

"Finding  myself  thus  unexpectedly  and  painfully  embarrassed, 
by  the  action  of  the  Board,  and  the  opinion  of  the  Governor,  I 
would  esteem  it  a  favor  if  you  would  inform  me  in  what  wav,  and 
to  what  extent,  I  may  take  the  responsibility  of  acting  in  opposition 
to  the  express  wishes  and  orders  of  my  immediate  superiors. 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"Francis  H.  Smith." 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  199 

General  Jackson  knew  conditions  at  the  Institute 
too  well  not  to  give  the  Superintendent  the  assurance 
he  needed  for  the  action  which  the  Governor  had 
characterized  as  "mischief",  and  which  the  Board  had 
unanimously  condemned.  He,  therefore,  promptly  ad- 
dressed the  following  letter: 

"Headquarters,  Valley  District, 

"Staunton,  May  6,  1862. 
"Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"Superintendent,  Virginia  Military  Institute. 

"General — Your  letter  of  this  date,  stating  the  embarrassment 
in  which  you  are  placed  in  co-operating  with  me,  in  defense  of  this 
portion  of  the  Valley,  and  requesting  to  be  informed  in  what  way, 
and  to  what  extent,  I  propose  to  use  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  has  been 
received.  In  reply,  I  would  state,  that  should  you,  notwithstanding 
the  action  of  the  Board  of  Visitors,  and  of  the  Governor,  feel  at 
liberty  to  continue  your  co-operation,  the  Corps  of  Cadets  will  form 
a  part  of  the  reserve,  and  that  its  duties  will  perhaps  be  of  an 
unusually  active  character,  and  may  continue  for  five  or  seven  days. 
The  safety  of  this  section  of  the  Valley,  in  my  opinion,  renders  your 
continued  co-operation  of  great  importance ;  but,  should  you  deem 
it  your  duty,  in  consequence  of  the  action  of  the  Board  of  Visitors 
and  of  the  Governor  of  the  State,  to  return  at  once  to  the  Institute, 
I  hope  you  will  accept  for  yourself,  and  tender  to  your  command, 
the  grateful  appreciation  of  your  patriotic  devotion  to  our  cause, 
which  has  been  manifested  by  having  so  promptly  responded  to 
my  call. 

"I  am.  General, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"T.  J.  Jackson, 

"Major-General." 

This  politic  reply  in  which  the  Superintendent  was 
flatteringly  reassured,  and  at  the  same  time  relieved  not 
one  whit  of  the  responsibility  of  his  future  course,  either 
in  remaining  or  returning  with  the  Corps,  had  the  effect 
the  shrewd  writer  intended  for  it,  and  elicited  the 
following  response: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"May  6.   1862. 
"Major-General  T.  J.  Jackson, 

"Commanding  Valley  District. 

"General — I  have  received  your  communication  of  this  date. 
The  unqualified  expression  of  your  opinion  that  the  continued  co- 


200  The  Military  History  of 

operation  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets  is  of  great  importance  to  the  safety 
of  this  section  of  the  Valley,  removes  all  doubt  from  my  mind  as  to 
my  duty  to  give  you  that  co-operation  with  the  limitation  of  exclud- 
ing all  cadets  under  eighteen  years  of  age,  who  have  not  the  consent 
of  their  parents  to  participate  in  this  temporary  service. 

"Knowing,  as  I  well  do,  the  wishes  of  the  governing  authorities 
of  the  Institute,  and  of  parents,  that  no  interruption  shall  take  place 
in  our  regular  course,  if  it  can  be  avoided,  I  regard  this  call  as 
presenting  a  means,  under  Providence,  by  which  you  may  be 
enabled,  with  your  gallant  Army,  to  ensure  to  the  cadets,  at  the  end 
of  the  contemplated  service,  a  safe  return  to  their  accustomed 
duties,  with  the  satisfaction  that  they  have  endeavored  to  render  a 
patriotic  service. 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"Francis  H.  Smith." 

On  the  morning  of  the  7th,  although  the  inhabitants, 
credulous  of  every  wild  rumor,  fully  expected  to  see 
the  Federals  approaching,  Jackson  who  was  well  in- 
formed by  Ashby  of  Banks'  idleness,  moved  his  army 
westward  to  strike  Milroy  commanding  Fremont's  ad- 
vance guard.  His  strategy  was  to  crush  the  weaker 
force  first,  and  then  fall  upon  Banks,  thus  preventing 
their  combination. 

The  army  was  set  in  motion  in  the  following  order: 
Edward  Johnson's  regiments  led  the  way,  several  miles 
in  advance;  the  3d  and  2d  Brigades  followed,  the 
Stonewall  Brigade  under  General  Winder,  and  the 
Corps  of  Cadets  under  Major  Shipp,  bringing  up  the 
rear,  as  a  reserve. 

"The  Corps  of  Cadets  of  the  Virginia  Military  Insti- 
tute," says  Dabjiey,  "was  also  attached  to  the  expedi- 
tion; and  the  spruce  equipments  and  the  exact  drill  of 
the  youths,  as  they  stepped  out,  full  of  enthusiasm  to 
take  their  first  actual  look  upon  the  horrid  visage  of  war, 
under  their  renowned  professor,  formed  a  strong  con- 
trast with  the  war-worn  and  nonchalant  veterans  who 
composed  the  army."* 

Eighteen  miles  west  of  Staunton,  a  Federal  picket 
was  overrun,  and  in  the  pass  leading  to  the  Shenandoah 

*Life  and  Campaigns  of  Lieutenant-General  Stonewall  Jackson,  Dabney, 
Vol.  II,  p.  65. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  201 

Mountain,  Johnson  captured  a  camp  that  had  just  been 
abandoned.  The  Federal  rear-guard  fired  a  few  shells, 
and  the  Confederates  went  into  bivouac.  Johnson  had 
marched  fourteen,  and  Jackson  twenty,  miles. 

For  full  and  accurate  details  of  the  battle  of 
McDowell,  the  reader  should  consult  some  of  the  more 
reliable  accounts  of  Jackson's  Valley  Campaign.* 
Briefly  stated,  events  were  as  follows: 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th,  Johnson  encountered 
Milroy,  reinforced  by  Schenck,  on  the  top  of  Bull  Pas- 
ture Mountain,  about  three  miles  east  of  the  village  of 
McDowell.  A  severe  conflict  now  ensued,  which  lasted 
four  hours,  and  which  was  fought  mainly  by  the 
infantry,  because  the  difficult  terrain  would  not  permit 
the  use  of  artillery.  The  action  gradually  became  so 
fierce  that  Jackson  sent  the  3d  Brigade  to  support  his 
advance  guard,  and  was  on  the  point  of  throwing  into 
action  the  2d  Brigade,  when  the  enemy  fled  as  darkness 
set  in.  The  Stonewall  Brigade  and  the  cadets,  com- 
prising the  reserve,  after  having  gone  into  camp  three 
miles  in  rear,  about  dusk,  were  ordered  to  move  forward 
rapidly  to  McDowell,  where  they  arrived  just  as  the 
firing  was  dying  out,  well  after  dark,  only  to  be  ordered 
back  to  camp  again,  as  pursuit  was  impracticable  by 
night. 

The  enemy  had  been  repulsed  at  every  point,  but  not 
without  severe  loss,  which  included  444  enlisted  men  and 
54  officers.  The  Federal  loss,  due  to  advantages  of 
position,  did  not  exceed  256  killed,  wounded  and  miss- 
ing. Among  the  wounded  Confederate  officers  was  the 
gallant  Colonel  George  H.  Smith,  V.  M.  I.,  '53,  com- 
manding the  25th  Virginia,  while  Colonel  S.  B.  Gibbons, 
V.  M.  I.,  '52,  commanding  the  10th  Virginia,  was 
killed. 

After  a  day  of  exceptional  hardship  and  excitement, 
and  an  unusually  long  and  toilsome  march,  it  was  a 

♦stonewall  Jackson  and  the  American  Civil  War,  Henderson.  Life  and 
Campaigns  of  Lieutenant-General  Stonewall  Jaclison,  Dabney.  Stonewall 
Jackson  in  the  Shenandoah,  Imboden,  in  Battles  and  Leaders  of  the  Civil 
War.   Vol.    II,   pp.    282-301.      Military   Biography   of   Stonewall   Jackson,    Cooke. 


202  The  Military  History  or 

disgruntled  body  of  cadets  that  returned  to  camp  that 
night.  For  weeks,  they  had  builded  upon  their  hopes. 
The  long  period  of  expectancy  and  drilling  had  been 
followed  by  the  order  calling  out  the  Corps.  Then  the 
Corps  had  marched  to  Staunton,  picturing  an  enemy  on 
every  hill,  only  to  be  held  in  restraint  in  Stamiton,  with- 
out the  slightest  knowledge  of  the  future  course.  Then, 
had  come  the  day  when,  relegated  to  the  reserve,  yet 
happy,  the  Corps  had  set  out  for  McDowell,  only  to  be 
held  in  the  rear  in  the  very  sound  of  the  firing,  and, 
later,  rushed  back  and  forth  over  the  roads,  without  the 
slightest  opportunity  to  participate  in  the  action.  It 
was  all  certainly  very  disappointing  to  the  exuberant 
youths  who  chafed  at  the  leash  with  boyish  impatience. 

The  next  morning,  Ashby's  cavalry  crossed  the  bridge 
at  McDowell,  and  moved  cautiously  forward  through 
the  mountain  passes  which  had  blocked  pursuit.  The 
infantry  halted  for  some  hours  in  McDowell,  in  order 
that  rations  might  be  issued.  Here,  the  delightful  task 
of  burying  the  Federal  dead,  some  26  in  number,  was 
assigned  Major  Shipp  and  the  cadets,  a  duty  no  doubt 
designed  to  harden  the  nerves  of  the  young  soldiers. 

Meantime,  the  Federals  had  covered  23  miles  or  more 
in  their  flight,  so  that  even  forced  marches  on  the  10th 
and  11th  failed  to  overtake  them.  The  difficulties  of  the 
pursuit  were  heightened  by  the  novel  scheme  of  setting 
the  moimtain  forests  on  fire,  which  enshrouded  the  vales 
with  an  impenetrable  cloud  of  smoke.  Late  on  the  11th, 
however,  Jackson  gained  close  contact  with  the  retreat- 
ing Federals,  and  drove  them  back  as  far  as  the  village 
of  Franklin,  where  they  assumed  a  defiant  attitude,  in 
a  position  of  great  natural  strength.  In  the  meantime, 
the  cadets  who  had  discharged  their  inglorious  task,  ar- 
rived and  were  deployed  by  Major  Shipp,  while  the 
random  firing  from  both  sides  continued.  The  Corps 
was  not,  however,  actively  engaged. 

Having  driven  Milroy  and  Schenck  far  enough  to 
prevent  Fremont's  juncture  with  Banks,  Jackson  com- 
menced his  march  back  to  the  Valley  on  the  12th,  arriv- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  203 

ing  at  Lebanon  Springs  on  the  road  to  Harrisonburg 
on  the  loth,  while  the  Corps  returned  to  Staunton  by 
the  direct  road.  Banks,  meanwhile,  had  fallen  back 
to  Strasburg,  so  there  was  no  occasion  for  the  Corps  to 
remain  away  from  Lexington  longer. 

Remaining  in  Staunton  during  the  15th,  the  Corps 
marched  to  Lexington  on  the  16th,  17th  and  18th,  and 
orders  were  issued,  the  following  day,  for  the  resumption 
of  academic  duties  on  the  20th. 

Soon,  the  following  order  was  received  at  the  Insti- 
tute, which  attested  the  valuable  service  rendered  the 
cause  by  the  Corps  of  Cadets: 

"Headquarters,  Valley  District,  at  McDowell, 

"May  15,  1862. 

"General  Orders— No.  46. 

"The  imminent  danger  to  which  Staunton  was  recently  exposed 
having  been  removed  by  the  defeat  of  the  combined  forces  of 
Generals  Schenck  and  Milroy  on  the  west,  and  the  falling  back 
of  General  Banks  on  the  north,  Major-General  F.  H.  Smith  returns 
with  his  command  to  the  post  and  duties  which  have  been  assigned 
him  by  the  State  of  Virginia.  In  thus  parting  with  this  patriotic 
officer,  and  those  who  had  for  a  time  left  their  scientific  and  literary 
pursuits  for  the  purpose  of  co-operating  in  repelling  the  danger 
which  threatened  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  (which  has  by  its 
graduates  contributed  so  efficiently  to  the  success  of  this  war),  the 
Major-General  commanding  tenders  his  thanks  to  Major-General 
Smith,  and  the  officers  and  cadets  under  him,  for  the  promptitude 
and  efficiency  with  which  they  have  assisted  in  the  recent  expedition. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  T.  J.  Jackson, 

"T.  L.  Dabney, 

"A.  A.  G." 

The  following  account  of  the  experiences  of  the  Corps 
of  Cadets  in  the  McDowell  Campaign,  by  Captain 
B.  A.  Colonna,  Class  of  1864,  First  Sergeant  of 
Company  "D"  in  1862,  is  so  graphic  and  so  live  with 
interest,  that  it  is  here  inserted  in  full: 

"Our  first  day's  march  became  disagreeable  on  account  of  a  cold 
rain  that  set  in  at  about  2  or  3  o'clock.  The  Corps,  though  not 
prepared  for  hardship,  was  not  provided  with  transportation  as  we 
had  been  in  April,    1861.      There  were  no  stage  coaches   and  only 


204  The  Military  History  of 


two  or  three  wagons  and  one  ambulance.  The  cadets  carried  their 
own  blankets,  etc.,  each  had  a  tin  cup  and  plate,  haversack  and 
canteen,  and  were  not  equipped  as  fancy  soldiers  at  all.  Our  arms 
were  the  little  drill  guns,  quite  unsuited  for  war,  smooth-bores — 
just  what  he  had  before  the  war  for  drill  guns.  Each  cadet  carried 
in  his  haversack  enough  food  to  last  him  to  Staunton,  viz.,  two  days' 
rations,  consisting  of  hardtack,  sandwiches  and  bacon — and  coffee; 
for  we  had  coffee  then  that  was  made  for  us  by  old  Judge,  in  large 
tin  camp  kettles,  and  the  'short  sweetening'  was  boiled  in.  The 
cadets  were  allowed  to  nibble  at  this  food  whenever  we  stopped, 
and  some  nibbled  even  on  the  march;  but  we  had  no  coffee  until 
we  reached  camp  that  night,  a  long  distance  beyond  Fairfield,  where 
we  were  fed  in  1861.     I  think  this  place  was  called  Mint  Spring. 

"The  night  was  miserable  enough,  for  it  rained  at  intervals,  and 
though  there  were  a  few  tents  we  slept  on  the  ground,  and  only  a 
few  of  the  cadets  knew  how  to  care  for  themselves.  'Spex'  was 
not  along.  Col.  Shipp  was  mounted  on  a  dapply  iron-gray,  a 
stallion,  I  believe,  and  a  lazy  brute  that  I  often  wished  I  could 
have  on  a  side  road  to  put  some  ginger  in  him.  Dr.  Madison  rode 
a  clumsy  sorrel  that  I  suspected  to  be  from  some  livery  stable,  and 
this  doctor  was  as  kind  as  he  could  be  in  dismounting  most  of  the 
time  and  allowing  some  tired  cadet  to  ride  his  horse.  There  were 
a  lot  of  assistant  professors  along  who  generally  marched  at  the 
rear  of  the  column.  Dr.  Madison  was  a  particularly  entertaining 
man,  whose  knowledge  of  Botany  made  a  day's  marching  at  his  side 
as  instructive  as  a  week's  study  at  school. 

"Sunday,  May  4th,  we  were  about  as  soon  as  it  was  light,  and 
coffee  was  ready  by  the  time  our  tents  were  struck.  The  morning 
air  was  damper  than  our  clothes.  The  day  was  only  partly  cloudy, 
and  the  excellent  spirits  of  the  boys  soon  caused  sore  feet  and 
blisters  to  be  forgotten  as  we  pulled  along  through  the  mud  toward 
Staunton,  arriving  there  while  it  was  yet  daylight.  I  can  not  recall 
the  place  v/here  we  stopped,  but  I  think  it  was  in  some  vacant  store 
or  warehouse.  The  good  people  of  Staunton  treated  us  royally,  and 
we  had  an  excellent  night's  rest. 

"Monday,  May  5th.  Rations  were  issued  and  coffee  served  as 
usual.  We  cleaned  up  our  clothes  and  made  ourselves  as  present- 
able as  we  could,  and  in  the  afternoon  had  Dress  Parade  on  the 
lawn  in  front  of  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  asylum.  The  blind  children 
sang  for  us  in  the  evening;  one  very  pathetic  song  made  the  tears 
come  in  my  eyes.     I  remember  some  of  the  words: 

"  'No  one  to  love,  none  to  caress. 

Wandering  alone  through  this  world's  wilderness,'  etc. 

We  spent  the  night  pleasantly. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  205 

"Tuesday,  May  6th.  It  was  rumored  that  Gen.  Jackson  was  in 
town,  and  we  had  hardly  finished  our  hardtack  and  bacon  when  the 
word  was  passed  that  we  were  to  pass  in  review  before  him.  There 
was  much  effort  to  prepare  for  the  event,  and  at  dinner  roll  call 
it  was  officially  announced  that  we  would  respond  to  drum  call  at 
1  p.  M.  The  review  was  over  by  2  p.  M.,  being  held  on  the  spacious 
grounds  before  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  asylum.  It  was  the  last  time 
I  ever  appeared  before  my  old  professor.  (I  recited  in  declamation 
before  him  in  1860-61.) 

"It  was  rumored  that  we  were  to  be  attached  to  the  Stonewall 
Brigade,  and  tliat  evening  at  D.  P.  an  order  was  read,  to  that 
effect,  but  that  brigade  was  not  just  then  in  evidence. 

"Wednesday,  May  7th.  After  a  quiet,  restful  day  the  Stonewall 
Brigade  came  in.  I  did  not  see  it  at  all,  but  during  the  afternoon 
rations  were  issued  for  a  day,  and  no  permits  to  leave  quarters  were 
issued.  There  was  an  early  tattoo,  and  the  word  was  passed  around 
that  we  were  to  be  ready  for  an  early  start  in  the  morning. 

"Thursday,  May  18th,  was  a  balmy,  pleasant  May  day  and  we 
responded  to  reveille  at  about  1  a.  m.,  and  at  2  a.  m.  we  joined  the 
Stonewall  Brigade  on  the  street  or  road  in  the  west  part  of 
Staunton.  There  was  no  tiresome  delay,  but  the  brigade  moved 
westward  on  the  road  leading  to  Buffalo  Gap.  twelve  miles  distant. 
This  was  the  same  route  over  which  I  had  passed  with  the  21st 
Virginia  Regiment  in  June,  1861,  on  its  way  to  western  Virginia, 
and  our  first  day's  march  was  to  Buffalo  Gap,  and  I  expected  to 
halt  there  to-day.  The  old  21st  was  along  to-day.  but  its  impedi- 
menta had  disappeared.  Each  company  did  not  have  four  large 
six-horse  wagons  furnished  by  the  government  and  one  extra  hired 
by  the  company  to  carry  trunks,  etc.,  and  each  soldier  did  not 
start  out  with  over  100  pounds  on  his  back,  to  be  gradually  thrown 
away  as  the  sun  climbed  higher  until  the  road  from  Staunton  to 
Buffalo  Gap  was  lined  by  all  kinds  of  articles,  as  in  '61.  The  21st 
only  had  one  wagon  and  two  ambulances  with  a  shoulder  kit  of 
less  than  forty  pounds  in  all  wrapped  in  a  blanket  roll,  through 
which  the  soldier's  head  stuck  out,  leaving  it  resting  on  his  right 
shoulder  and  left  hip.  But  each  soldier  did  carry  forty  rounds  of 
ammunition  in  his  cartridge  box,  which  he  knew  how  to  take  care 
of  and  use  properly.  I  doubt  whether  the  whole  of  Jackson's 
army  had  as  much  impedimenta  as  the  21st  had  on  leaving  Staunton 
in  1861. 

"Dr.  Madison  used  to  discuss  the  Corps  with  me  from  the 
surgeon's  point  of  view,  and  he  always  acknowledged  the  inferiority 
of  this  rat  corps  physically  to  the  corps  that  went  to  Richmond  in 
1861 — the  present  personnel  being  so  much  younger  and  smaller — 
but  he  was  forced  to  acknowledge  its  esprit  to  be  wonderful.  So 
the  morning  passed  until  a  little  after  sunrise,  when  he  halted  at 


206  The  Military  History  of 

Buffalo  Gap  near  the  splendid  spring  that  bursts  out  about  fifty 
feet  below  the  railroad  track.  We  had  covered  just  what  the  21st 
had  covered  in  the  same  time  thirteen  months  before,  and,  of  course, 
I  expected  to  go  into  camp;  but  in  an  hour  we  were  under  way 
again,  following  the  same  road  we  had  traveled  in  1861.  We  were 
taking  a  short  rest  now  every  hour,  say  twenty  minutes,  and  then 
resuming  our  march.  In  about  five  hours  we  came  to  the  very 
place  where  we  camped  in  1861  at  the  end  of  our  second  day  out. 
The  log  blacksmith's  shop  that  stood  on  the  south  side  of  the  road 
just  off  a  point  of  woods  that  was  on  the  north  side  was  there  as 
natural  as  life.  'Now,'  I  thought,  'we  are  about  twenty-four  miles 
from  Staunton  this  8th  day  of  May,  1862,  and  we  will  surely  go 
into  camp.'  It  was  growing  monotonous,  and,  though  I  did  not 
like  to  own  it,  I  was  getting  a  little  tired  of  carrying  that  musket 
and  other  toggery.  But,  no;  we  were  called  to  attention  and  soon 
found  ourselves  climbing  Shenandoah  Mountain.  The  boys  were 
beginning  to  feel  the  strain,  but  none  of  them  so  far  had  fallen 
by  the  wayside,  though  we  saw  several  veterans  of  the  Stonewall 
Brigade  resting  by  the  roadside  and  looking  unhappy.  Though  I 
thought  it  took  ages,  we  finally  reached  the  top  of  Shenandoah 
Mountain  and  to  the  westward  could  see  the  valley  of  Cow  Pasture 
River.  We  were  now  over  thirty  miles  from  Staunton,  but  on  we 
went.  It  was  down  grade,  and  that  brought  another  set  of  muscles 
into  play,  so  that  we  reached  Cow  Pasture  River  in  better  shape. 
We  crossed  the  river  and  ascended  a  hill,  where  in  a  pretty  little 
valley  near  a  small  rivulet  we  filed  to  the  left  and  went  onto 
camp  along  with  the  brigade.  Judge  and  the  other  cook,  who  had 
been  riding  in  the  commissary  wagon  turn  about,  had  coffee  directly, 
and  I  had  two  tin  cupfuls  of  it,  with  some  hardtack  stowed  away 
quickly.  Then  we  all  rolled  up  in  our  blankets  and  went  off  dozing 
and  dreaming  of  'the  girls  we  left  behind  us.'  It  was  probably 
an  hour  later  when  the  beating  of  drums  all  around  us  called  me  to 
my  feet.  In  an  instant  my  clothes  were  adjusted  and  I  was 
accoutered  to  march,  for  it  was  the  long  roll  that  was  sounding. 
At  the  last  tap  of  the  drum  the  companies  were  fallen  in  and  faced 
to  the  front.  So  far  as  I  can  remember  the  cadets  were  all  present, 
but  it  was  a  peaked-looking  crowd  that  faced  to  the  right  and  took 
up  the  march  along  with  the  Stonewall  Brigade,  still  to  westward. 
Some  of  the  boys  were  limping,  but,  though  sore,  we  were  much 
refreshed  by  that  short  rest.  The  blankets,  etc.,  we  were  ordered 
to  leave  on  the  ground  with  the  camp  guard.  The  sun  was  getting 
low  in  the  west,  and  I  suppose  it  was  about  5  p.  m.,  when  we  took 
up  the  march  toward  McDowell.  We  were  soon  on  top  of  the  flat- 
topped  hill  that  formed  the  divide  between  Cow  Pasture  and  Bull 
Pasture  rivers,  and  could  hear  continually  and  distinctly  the  fire 
of  the  infantry  and  occasionally  of  a  cannon.  It  seemed  to  put 
new  life  into  the  boys  as  we  pressed  forward,  and  on  reaching  the 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  207 

west  slope  of  the  hill  we  heard  a  band  playing;  a  little  later  we 
passed  it  on  the  north  side  of  the  road.  It  was  seldom  that  we 
heard  a  band  playing  like  this  on  the  eve  of  battle,  but  some  one, 
knowing  how  fatigued  we  were,  had  ordered  this  to  cheer  us  on 
to  the  fight.  It  was  certainly  doing  its  work  well.  As  we 
progressed  the  firing  gradually  ceased ;  we  were  halted  and  a  rest 
ordered,  and  finally  marched  back  to  our  camp.  I  was  certainly 
tired  when  at  about  midnight  we  filed  to  the  right,  marched  to  our 
bivouac,  were  given  'stack  arms,'  and  dismissed.  I  was  about 
five  or  six  yards  from  my  blankets  when  I  fell  to  my  knees  and 
crawled  to  my  blankets,  wrapped  them  about  me  and  fell  asleep. 
So  ended  a  forty-four-mile  march  of  twenty-two  hours. 

"Friday,  May  9th.  I  did  not  stir  until  10  a.  m.,  when  I  awoke 
at  the  tap  of  the  drum.  A  summer  sun  was  shining  in  my  face 
and  every  bone  in  my  body  seemed  to  be  aching.  I  was  stiff  and 
sore,  and  it  required  some  will  power  to  put  the  engine  in  motion, 
but  by  the  time  we  had  limped  to  reveille  and  washed  our  faces  we 
were  ready  for  our  fried  bacon,  hardtack,  and  coffee.  We  were 
not  allowed  to  stand  about  long  before  we  were  marching  for  the 
fifth  time  on  that  hill  slope  for  McDowell.  I  don't  think  it  was 
over  four  miles  off,  and  as  I  remember  we  were  there  by  2  p.  m., 
and  were  halted  in  the  road  opposite  a  nice  brick  house  (Dr. 
Zollerman's?)  with  a  blacksmith's  shop  across  the  way.  I  was 
looking  for  a  place  to  sit  in  a  lean-to  at  the  west  end  of  the  smithy 
when  I  heard  a  slight  noise  and  was  at  the  road  again  just  as  a 
Federal  field  officer,  followed  by  a  colored  man  leading  two  horses, 
came  out  of  the  shop  door.  He  looked  more  astonished  than  we 
did,  but  he  soon  came  to  himself,  for  the  cadets  swarmed  about  him, 
and  he  was  being  picked  at  as  if  he  were  a  'rat,'  when  Col.  Shipp 
came  jogging  up  on  that  old  pot-bellied  horse  of  his  and  took 
charge.  He  made  us  restore  everything,  and  he  and  the  colonel  (.'') 
rode  away,  the  negro  following,  mounted  on  the  other  horse. 

"It  was  decided  directly  that  we  would  stop  here  overnight,  and 
we  stacked  arms  and  were  turned  loose.  I  can  not  remember  any 
house  at  McDowell  save  the  brick  one  and  the  smithy.  About  a 
year  previous  I  had  been  with  the  21st  when  it  camped 
here,  back  of  the  smithy,  and  I  can  not  remember  any  houses 
at  that  time.  On  going  to  the  brick  house  we  found  that 
the  parlor  had  been  used  as  a  hospital ;  there  was  a  dead  man 
laid  on  top  of  the  piano,  and  in  the  dining-room  on  the  table  there 
was  a  litter  with  a  man  on  it.  This  man  had  a  triangular  hole 
knocked  in  the  top  of  his  head,  and  liis  brains  had  run  out  on  the 
floor,  leaving  the  front  half  of  his  skull  entirely  empty ;  yet  he 
breathed,  and  when  we  gave  him  water  from  a  sponge,  that  we 
found  in  his  mouth,  he  sucked  it  vigorously,  and  opened  his  eyes. 
He  was  paralyzed  for  locomotion,  and   I  think   for  sensation,  too. 


208  The  Military  History  of 

Dr.  Madison  came  along  and  looked  him  over,  and  directed  us  to 
give  no  more  water,  for  it  was  a  hopeless  case,  and  we  were  only 
prolonging  misery.  He  died  in  about  half  an  hour.  His  name  was 
Hayden  D.  Runyon,  of  Eaton,  Ohio,  as  we  learned  from  the 
contents  of  his  kit,  which  was  on  the  floor  under  the  table.  I  was 
ordered  to  make  a  detail  from  D  Company  and  bury  the  two  of 
them,  which  I  did.  They  found  a  resting  place  under  a  big  sugar 
maple  along  the  bank  of  Cow  Pasture  River,  and  were  covered  by 
one  blanket.  I  believe  it  was  Glazebrook  who  read  the  Episcopal 
service  over  them.  That  night  cadets  slept  everywhere  in  the  brick 
house.     And  so  ended  the  9th  of  May,  1862. 

"May  10,  1862.  The  whole  army  resumed  march,  pressing  the 
enemy,  who  made  a  weak  stand,  causing  a  little  delay.  I  can  not 
recall  where  we  bivouacked. 

"Svmday,  May  11,  1862.  In  hot  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  who  had 
set  the  woods  on  fire.  As  the  wind  blew  our  way,  we  were 
enveloped  in  it  to  such  an  extent  as  to  obscure  everything,  and, 
getting  in  our  eyes,  it  was  very  annoying.  I  can  not  remember 
where  we  camped,  except  that  it  was  in  a  pretty  valley  with  one  or 
two  houses. 

"Monday,  May  12,  1862.  We  rested  to  make  up  for  Sunday. 
There  was  a  large  and  very  beautiful  maple  tree  in  a  meadoM'  at 
this  camp,  which  was  on  the  south  fork  of  the  Potomac,  and  under 
that  tree  I  found  Gen.  Jackson,  his  staff,  and  a  large  number  of 
soldiers  holding  public  Avorship.  Gen.  Jackson  remained  standing 
and  uncovered,  and  I  had  a  fine  opportunity  of  seeing  him.  It  was 
my  last  chance  until  he  was  brought  back  to  Lexington  to  be  buried. 
I  will  own  up  to  being  more  interested  in  that  beloved  "Round 
Head"  than  in  all  the  parson's  discourse.  It  was  only  a  little  after 
noon  when  the  drums  beat,  and  we  soon  gathered  our  effects  and 
made  the  march  back  to  McDowell.  No  one  in  that  whole  host 
knew  what  was  in  the  mind  of  our  general.  I  have  no  recollection 
of  where  we  camped. 

"Tuesday,  May  13,  1862.  We  were  on  the  march  back  to  Mc- 
Dowell. I  could  not  conceive  how  men  could  so  quickly  pass  from 
what  they  were  on  the  8th  to  that  quiet,  steady-going  army  bent 
as  one  man  on  the  hardest  kind  of  work. 

"Wednesday,  May  14,  1862.  We  reached  McDowell  in  the 
evening  and  camped.  The  other  commands  were  to  the  eastward 
of  us,  and,  I  suppose,  on  Cow  Pasture  River.  The  cavalry  had 
not  yet  come  up.  It  was  announced  to  us  that  our  course  was  back 
to  Staunton  over  the  same  route  by  which  we  had  advanced.  We 
camped  on  the  bank  of  Bull  Pasture  River  and  had  bread  (corn 
pones),  bacon,  and  no  coffee.     I  could  have  wept  for  growle)^ 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  209 

"Thursday^  May  15th.  The  cadets  were  now  all  up  and  the 
ranks  were  well  filled.  The  boys  were  full  of  enthusiasm,  but  not 
so  full  of  anything  else.  Our  clothing  was  getting  worn  and  our 
shoes  were  playing  out.  Some  of  the  cadets  were  using  strips  of 
cloth  or  strings  to  bind  them  to  their  feet.  The  soreness  of 
muscles  due  to  hard  marching  had  worn  off,  and  the  cadets  were 
in  better  shape  for  work  than  when  they  had  marched  out  of 
Barracks.  Some  spoke  openly  of  their  disappointment  at  not  being 
allowed  to  follow  Jackson,  for  the  Stonewall  Brigade  had  petted 
us  and  bragged  on  our  endurance,  but  they  all  reminded  us  that 
we  were  too  young  to  leave  our  mothers,  and  ought  to  go  home 
before  the  latter  knew  we  were  out,  etc.,  etc. ;  and  that  was  rather 
offensive  to  our  digTiity  and  our  vanity,  though  always  spoken  in 
great  kindness.  From  the  battlefield  to  the  bivouac  of  the  8th  in- 
stant we  passed  over  the  same  ground  for  the  sixth  time.  There  was 
one  place  that  I  remember  very  well  where  on  the  8th  we  had  met 
Gen.  Johnson,  wounded,  and  whenever  we  looked  at  Shenandoah 
Mountain  as  we  approached  it  we  were  reminded  that  work  lay 
before  us  right  there.  Occasionally  we  could  distinguish  Jackson's 
army  as  it  climbed  the  mountain,  but  by  ten  o'clock  the  last  of  them 
seemed  to  have  passed,  and  we  were  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain. 
There  was  occasionally  a  straggler  on  the  roadside,  for  Jackson's 
provost  guard  did  not  get  every  one  of  them ;  and  occasionally  I 
would  see  one  who  looked  quite  able  to  be  in  his  place  Avith  bis  com- 
pany. We  camped  that  night  about  twenty  miles,  I  think,  from 
Staunton.  Many  of  the  cadets  were  in  sorry  plight  for  shoes,  and 
for  want  of  knowing  how  to  tie  a  square  knot  they  could  not  use 
such  as  they  had  to  the  best  advantage.  I  tried  to  show  some  in 
D  Company,  but  they  took  no  interest. 

"Friday,  May  16,  1862.  We  broke  camp  early  and  struck  out 
for  Staunton.  We  had  not  gone  far  before  the  shoe  matter  became 
a  serious  one.  Cadet  after  cadet  began  to  ask  to  be  allowed  to  leave 
the  ranks,  and,  after  holding  them  for  a  while  longer,  they  were 
excused,  with  directions  to  reach  Staunton  as  soon  as  practicable. 
Nothing  of  interest  happened  beyond  this.  We  arrived  in  Staunton 
about  3  p.  M.,  with  say  half  our  number  present.  Col.  Shipp  had 
preceded  us  and  provided  quarters  in  the  second  story  of  a  large 
brick  store  that  was  vacant,  and  in  front  of  it  we  were  halted,  faced 
to  the  front  and  ordered  arms.  It  was  simply  perfect;  every  gun 
came  down  at  once  on  the  brick  pavement.  I  have  never  forgotten 
that  'Order  arms,'  and  I  have  had  several  other  cadets  speak  to 
me  about  it.  We  were  not  detained  long  before  we  were  dismissed 
to  go  to  our  quarters.  Judge  and  his  staff  were  on  hand  and  the 
kettles  of  coffee  awaited  us.  I  tanked  up  on  coffee,  hardtack,  and 
cold,  boiled  bacon  that  tasted  so  good  that  I  forgot  soldier's  life  at 
once.     There  were  no  roll  calls  until  the  following  morning,  and  a 


14 


210  The  Military  History  of 

tired  lot  of  cadets  slept  as  sweetly  on  that  hard  floor  as  a  king  can 
sleep  on  a  bed  of  down.  During  the  night  cadets  continued  to 
come  in,  but  there  were  a  few  who  did  not  come  in  until  the  next  day. 

"Saturday,  May  17th.  Reveille  was  held  this  morning  a  little 
after  sunrise.  The  Corps  formed  and  rolls  were  called  on  the 
second  floor  where  we  had  slept.  But  little  military  duty  was  asked 
of  us,  and  the  most  important  thing  was  the  issuing  to  us  of 
soldier's  shoes,  good,  broad  heavy  ones.  I  think  that  every  man 
received  a  pair,  and  socks  were  issued  when  needed.  We  slept 
that  night  on  the  same  floor,  but  it  had  turned  hard  during  the  day, 
and  was  not  at  all  luxurious.  Our  clothing  was  now  dry  and  the 
mud  rubbed  off  as  well  as  we  could  do  so,  and  we  went  to  sleep 
early. 

"Sunday,  May  18th.  We  began  to  have  regular  roll  calls,  and  I 
do  not  remember  that  there  were  any  absent.  At  B.  R.  C.  it  was 
announced  that  the  Corps  would  attend  church  as  usual: 

A  Company  went  to  the  Episcopal  Church. 
B  Company  went  to  the   Presbyterian  Church. 
C  Company  went  to  the   Baptist  Church. 
D   Company  went  to  the   Methodist  Church. 

We  did  not  look  very  natty,  but  the  people  received  us  with  every 
sign  of  approval  and  esteem.  Many  of  the  cadets  had  friends  at 
Staunton  and  dined  out.  Those  of  us  who  had  not  friends  had 
dried-apple  duff  instead  of  raisin  ditto,  and  some  butter  materi- 
alized.    At  night  we  slept  again  on  the  floor. 

"Monday,  May  19th.  We  left  Staunton  early  in  the  morning, 
homeward  bound.  We  went  about  halfway  and  camped  for  the 
night. 

"Tuesday,  May  20th.  We  resumed  the  march  to  Barracks.  It 
was  evident  as  we  progressed  that  there  was  a  large  number  of" 
cadets  who  were  loath  to  return,  but  I  was  not  prepared  for  such 
a  spirit  as  developed  later.  We  reached  Barracks  before  sundown, 
had  supper  in  the  mess  hall,  and  slept  in  our  own  beds  in  Barracks. 

"Wednesday,  May  21st.  We  went  through  the  form  of  academic 
work,  I  suppose  as  a  matter  of  course.  But  nothing  could  have 
been  better  to  divert  the  cadets'  attention  from  war;  though,  like 
the  McDowell  campaign  intended,  as  I  suppose,  to  surfeit  them 
with  war,  it  did  not  work. 

"Thus  was  the  McDowell  campaign  brouglit  to  a  close." 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  211 


CHAPTER  XIV 


(e_ 


BACK  TO  WORK  AGAIN CHANCELLORSVILLE THE  VIR- 
GINIA MILITARY  INSTITUTE  AVILL  BE  HEARD  FROM 
TO-DAY^' THE  BURIAL  OF  JACKSON 

The  interruption  incident  to  the  participation  of  the 
Corps  in  the  McDowell  Campaign  was  a  serious  one, 
hut  the  added  repute  of  the  Institute,  accruing  from 
this  patriotic  service,  more  than  counterbalanced  the 
loss  in  other  respects.  Every  officer  and  cadet  now 
understood  that  not  only  was  the  Institute  relied  upon 
by  the  Confederate  Government  to  furnish  the  army 
with  trained  officers,  but  that  as  a  military  unit  the 
Corps  was  regarded  as  capable  of  rendering  valuable 
service  in  the  field;  and  this  knowledge  added  at  least 
an  inch  to  the  stature  of  every  cadet.  In  the  public 
mind  the  Corps  was  likened  more  and  more  to  the 
A'-oung  Guard  of  France,  and,  though  dangers  sur- 
rounded it,  people  gladly  entrusted  their  sons  to  the 
Institute  where  in  time  of  universal  danger  the  maxi- 
mum protection  was  afforded,  and  every  reasonable 
safeguard  thrown  about  the  youth  of  the  South.  They 
knew  that  the  cadets  would  be  subjected  to  no  unneces- 
sary dangers,  and  that,  since  eventually  all  must  bear 
arms,  it  were  better  that  the  scions  of  the  leading 
families  should  be  prepared  to  enter  the  service  with 
the  prestige  of  a  diploma  from  the  most  favored  insti- 
tution of  the  South.  With  proper  military  training, 
their  service,  though  postponed,  would  be  of  far  more 
value  than  it  would  be  as  immature  conscripts.  The 
Institute,  then,  was  not  merely  regarded  as  a  haven  for 
the  young,  but  as  a  certain  means  of  insuring  the  future 
career  of  those  subjected  to  the  prescribed  course  of 
military  training  there. 

In  order  to  make  up  lost  time,  and  better  prepare 
cadets   for  their  future  work,   it  was  decided  bv  the 


212  The  Military  History  of 

Board  of  Visitors  that  the  usual  summer  encampment 
would  be  dispensed  with,  and  examinations  for  the 
advancement  of  the  classes  held  during  the  last  two 
weeks  of  Jime.  But,  in  spite  of  every  precaution  and 
the  most  rigid  discipline,  resignations  and  dismissals  oc- 
curred which,  before  the  middle  of  July,  reduced  the 
Corps  to  a  total  of  but  138  cadets.  Over  40  cadets 
were  dropped  from  the  rolls  for  absenting  themselves 
without  leave  to  join  the  armies  in  the  field. 

After  the  examinations  proficient  cadets  were  granted 
brief  furloughs  to  visit  their  homes,  while  for  all  others, 
academic  work  was  resumed,  July  15th,  and  continued 
throughout  the  smnmer. 

Jime  25th,  Lieutenant  Thomas  M.  Semmes  was  pro- 
moted Captain  and  Instructor  of  French,  being  relieved 
as  Post- Adjutant  by  T.  Henderson  Smith,  '61. 

The  new  session  was  ordered  to  commence  September 
1st,  and  late  in  August,  as  usual,  new  cadets  began  to 
report  for  duty.  Upon  the  reorganization  of  the  Corps, 
over  200  cadets  were  present,  the  First  Class  numbering 
12,  the  Second  Class  16,  and  the  Third  38,  so  that  again 
the  difficult  task  of  maintaining  a  high  state  of  military 
efficiency,  with  a  comparatively  green  body  of  cadets, 
presented  itself.  And,  again,  there  were  constant  losses 
and  irregular  accessions,  to  increase  the  difficulties  of 
the  work. 

But  the  Superintendent  and  Commandant,  as  well  as 
every  other  member  of  the  faculty,  essayed  their  tasks 
with  the  utmost  seriousness  of  purpose,  fully  ap- 
preciating the  importance  of  the  work  assigned  them, 
and  were  favored  by  a  long  period  of  uninterrupted 
effort,  for  the  fall  of  1862,  and  the  following  winter  were 
uneventful  ones,  as  far  as  the  Institute,  in  the  con- 
secutiveness  of  its  work,  was  concerned. 

The  minds  of  all  were  of  course  deeply  impressed  by 
the  momentous  events  transpiring  in  the  outer  world, — 
events  brought  home  to  Lexington  by  the  frequent  days 
of  Thanksgiving  promulgated  by  the  President.  Then 
there  were  the  sacred  rites  which  the  Corps  often  per- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  213 

formed  in  honoring  the  memory  of  its  gallant  eleves 
who  fell  in  battle,  burying  with  military  honors  the 
fallen  heroes  whose  remains  were  brought  back  to  Lex- 
ington to  be  interred,  and  the  mournful  celebration  of 
the  glorious  victory  of  Second  Manassas  where  many 
former  cadets  fell,  but  where  Jackson,  and  scores  of 
graduates,  had  distinguished  themselves.  All  these  and 
similar  incidents  did  not  fail  to  heighten  the  spirit  of 
consecration  to  duty  which  pervaded  the  Institute,  and 
even  the  most  careless  and  unthoughtful  cadet  was  not 
free  from  the  influences  which  they  exerted.  Verily, 
the  Institute  was  hallowed  by  the  sacrifices  and  the 
libations  of  blood  which  those  who  but  recently  tenanted 
its  halls  were  offering  up  to  their  country.  The  spirit 
animating  every  officer  and  cadet  is  discernible  in  the 
following  order: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"November  10,  1862. 
"General  Orders- — No.  92. 

"1.  The  twenty-third  (23)  anniversary  of  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute  occurs  to-morrow,  November  11th,  and,  in  honor  of  the 
day,  there  will  be  the  usual  suspension  of  Military  and  Academic 
duties. 

"2.  Each  successive  year  has  borne  testimony  to  the  increasing 
usefulness  of  the  Institute.  But  the  united  voices  of  all  previous 
years  is  faint  in  comparison  with  the  voice  of  the  single  year,  now 
just  passed.  This  year  has  seen  on  every  battlefield  the  graduates 
of  the  Institute  fighting  for  the  independence  of  our  land.,  as 
privates  in  the  ranks,  or  leading  to  the  charge  companies,  regi- 
ments, and  brigades.  And  on  almost  every  field  the  record  of  their 
devoted  valor  is  written  in  crimson  lines ;  and  it  is  not  inappro- 
priate on  this  anniversary  to  remember  with  allowable  complacency 
that  one  who  is  at  this  moment  a  Professor  of  the  Institute  is  one 
of  the  most  distinguished  leaders  of  the  forces  of  the  Southern 
Confederacy. 

"In  after  years,  the  name  of  General  Jackson  will  be  associated 
with  the  Anniversary  of  Southern  Independence. 

"3.  The  customary  artillery  salute  must  be  omitted — we  have 
not  more  powder  than  we  may  be  called  upon  at  any  day  to  use 
from  shotted  guns  against  the  invader  of  our  soil. 

"By  command  of  Colonel  Preston, 

"A.  GovAN  Hill, 

"Actg.  Adjt.,  V.  M.  I." 


214  The  Military  History  of 

Twenty-three  years  of  service!  It  seems  almost  im- 
possible that  the  School  had  been  in  existence  so  brief 
a  period  of  years  at  this  time,  when  its  services  were 
heralded  North  and  South,  as  a  primary  factor  in  the 
defense  of  the  Southland.  How  hard  it  is  to  realize  that 
this  great  institution,  which  by  its  achievements  had 
gained  a  rating  as  a  School  of  Arms,  second  only  to 
that  of  West  Point,  was  after  all  but  an  infant, — an 
Alma  Mater  the  hair  of  whose  oldest  son  was  not  yet 
tinged  with  gray !  It  is  almost  beyond  belief  that  those 
sons  had  not  only  bled  upon  the  fields  of  Mexico,  but 
were  in  1862  claiming  of  right  a  lion's  share  in  every 
victory  of  the  Southern  arms.  Yet,  when  the  facts  are 
known, — facts  utterly  ignored  by  the  historians  of 
the  past, — it  is  clearly  seen  that  the  fame  of  Jackson  had 
been  laid  upon  a  foundation  of  youthful  devotion  which 
had  its  origin  in  Lexington,  and  not  on  the  Hudson. 
Ewell  and  Garnett  and  Winder  were  West  Pointers, 
it  is  true;  but  what  of  the  innumerable  colonels,  and 
majors,  and  captains,  and  scores  of  subalterns,  and 
dashing  staff  officers,  who  rode  at  the  head  of  the  regi- 
ments, companies  and  batteries,  of  the  Army  of  the 
Valley? 

If  ever  an  army  owed  its  prowess  to  a  single  source, 
it  was  the  army  which  followed  Stonewall  Jackson  in 
1862.  If  ever  a  leader  rested  his  fame  upon  a  single 
influence,  it  was  Jackson  whose  striking  sobriquet  was 
won  and  maintained  for  him  by  the  blood  and  valour  of 
his  former  pupils  in  the  art  of  war. 

But  if  the  Institute  had  raised  aloft  the  standard  of 
"Stonewall"  Jackson  in  1861,  and  borne  his  victorious 
eagles  through  the  Valley  of  Virginia  in  1862,  it  was 
in  the  spring  of  1863,  that,  at  last,  the  immortal  leader 
himself  proclaimed  to  the  world  in  undying  words  the 
tribute  it  had  won. 

Never  more,  let  the  Institute  be  charged  with  rattling 
the  bones  of  Jackson — the  West  Pointer.  He  belongs 
to  the  Institute,  and  is  a  part  of  it. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  215 

In  the  west  sally-port  of  the  Barracks  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute  hangs  a  bronze  tablet  dedicated  to  a 
great  soldier  by  the  men  of  Maryland  who  served  in  his 
command.  Formerly,  it  hung  in  the  old  section-room 
on  the  second  stoop,  in  the  southwest  tower  of  Barracks, 
where  for  many  years  he  taught  his  classes. 

On  the  cornice  of  the  chancel  in  the  Chapel  dedicated 
to  his  memory,  are  these  words  which  have  been  pre- 
served from  his  lips— "You  can  be  whatever  you  re- 
solve to  be." 

Before  that  same  sally-port,  stands  his  heroic  repre- 
sentation in  bronze,  among  the  very  guns  which  sur- 
rounded him  in  battle  and,  over  a  half-century  ago, 
bellowed  forth  the  name  of  "Stonewall"  Jackson  to  the 
world. 

Beneath  that  stern  monument,  and  before  the  muzzles 
of  those  ancient  pieces,  spreads  out  the  martial  field  oft 
trodden  by  his  feet ;  behind  them  rise  stately  walls  which 
inclose  a  space  hallowed  by  his  erstwhile  presence;  and 
all  about  are  things  which  remind  us  that,  interwoven 
with  the  history  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  is 
that  of  this  world-famous  soldier. 

Influences,  like  static  forces,  when  brought  togethei' 
are  retroactive;  and,  so,  we  may  inquire  what  was  the 
influence  exerted  upon  Jackson  by  this  School,  and 
what  was  the  influence  exerted  upon  this  School  by 
Jackson.  The  latter  alone  has  received  the  attention 
of  the  w^orld.  The  fame  of  Jackson  has  all  but  eclipsed 
the  part  played  by  others  in  the  making  of  this  story, 
and  their  contribution  to  his  fame  has  been  quite  ob- 
scured by  the  glamour  of  his  name.  It  is  necessary  to 
start  at  the  beginning,  if  we  ate  to  make  a  correct 
analysis  of  the  influences  w^hich  we  have  likened  unto 
retroactive  forces. 

Let  us  not  disparage  Jackson's  service  to  the  School, 
but  let  us  preserve  the  facts.  From  1851  to  1860,  Major 
Thomas  Jonathan  Jackson  was  Professor  of  Natural 
and  Experimental  Philosophy.  His  sole  connection 
with  the  tactical  organization  of  the  School  was  as  In- 


216  The  Military  History  of 

striietor  of  Artillery.  He  was  neither  Commandant  nor 
disciplinarian  of  the  Corps,  and  when  the  guns  of 
Sumter  rang  out  over  the  breathless  South,  the  1,100 
gradviates  and  eleves  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute 
who  were  then  living  seized  their  arms  and  the  Drill 
Manual  of  William  Gilham. 

It  was  in  the  stirring  spring  of  1861  that  Jackson 
first  came  to  the  front  in  connection  with  the  Corps. 
When  it  was  ordered  to  Richmond  in  April  to  provide 
the  drill-masters  for  the  volunteers  of  the  South,  it  was 
Jackson,  not  Gilham,  who  led  the  gallant  Battalion  of 
Cadets  over  the  Blue  Ridge  and  far  away  to  unknown 
fields.  Proud  of  their  new  leader,  and  loyal  to  him  as 
one  of  their  clan,  yet,  they  were  not  of  his  making. 
Rather,  had  he  become  a  commander  through  them, 
than  they  soldiers  through  him.  It  was  the  prestige 
which  he  had  won  here  by  years  of  preparation  in  our 
halls  that  won  for  him,  at  the  hands  of  Virginia,  his 
command  at  Harper's  Ferry. 

Before  the  first  shots  were  exchanged  on  the  soil  of 
Virginia,  we  find  that  small  army  at  Harper's  Ferry 
hanmiered  into  shape,  groaning  under,  but  proud  of,  its 
discipline.  But,  it  was  not  Jackson  alone  who  wrought 
this  result.  He  was  but  the  head — the  instrumentalities 
with  which  the  work  was  done  were  the  field-officers,  the 
subalterns  and  the  sprightly  drill-masters  recruited  from 
among  the  eleves  and  the  cadets  of  this  institution.  If 
there  be  a  doubt  in  one's  mind,  let  him  read  the  regi- 
mental and  the  company  rolls  of  the  brigade  which  gave 
to  its  commander  at  First  Manassas  the  name  of  "Stone- 
wall." Then,  let  us  ask  if  in  truth  it  may  be  said 
Jackson  made  those  men  the  "Stonewall  Brigade,"  or 
those  men  made  Jackson  known  to  fame,  as  "Stone- 
wall." 

During  the  entire  war.  West  Point  contributed  282 
officers  to  the  Confederate  Armies.  Of  this  nimiber, 
150  were  perhaps  in  the  Army  in  Virginia.  The  records 
of  the  Institute,  practically  complete  now,  show  that  3 
major-generals,  18  brigadier-generals,  95  colonels,  65 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  217 

lieutenant-colonels,  110  majors,  306  captains,  and  221 
lieutenants  went  forth  from  its  halls  to  the  Ijattlefields 
of  the  war,  and  that  an  unduly  large  proportion 
followed  the  fortunes  of  Jackson,  from  first  to  last. 
Hence,  how  absurd  is  the  fallacy  of  orators,  when  they 
declaim  of  the  citizen-soldiery  of  the  South — a  soldiery 
the  very  backbone  of  which  was  trained  in  a  School  of 
Arms  second,  if  at  all,  to  but  one  other  in  existence,  at 
the  time.  Jackson  did  not  win  his  sobriquet  with  a 
mob  of  raw  militia,  suddenly,  and,  as  if  by  the  magic  of 
his  unknown  name,  transformed  into  an  efficient  fight- 
ing-machine. On  the  contrary,  he  commanded  at  First 
Manassas  a  body  of  troops  which  for  weeks  had  been 
drilled  and  disciplined  by  a  corps  of  officers,  many  of 
whom  were  the  trained  product  of  a  master-hand.  For 
twenty  years,  the  very  text  of  the  drill-manual  in  their 
hands  had  been  upon  their  lips. 

One  frequently  finds  the  historian  alluding  to  the 
ability  of  Jackson  to  exact  extraordinary  sacrifices  of 
his  officers  and  men,  and  endeavoring  to  analyze  his 
character  as  a  leader,  in  order  to  arrive  at  the  reason 
for  this  exceptional  power  on  his  part.  That  he  pos- 
sessed a  remarkable  character,  and  unusual  ability  to 
command,  is  unquestioned.  Indirectly,  these  traits  ex- 
plain his  success ;  but  there  is  a  more  direct  explanation. 
Stonewall  Jackson,  besides  being  inherently  great,  had 
the  good  fortune  to  exercise  command  over,  and  to  be 
associated  with  armies,  the  very  backbone  of  which  con- 
sisted  of  young  men  who  had  but  recently  borne  to  him 
the  relation  of  the  pupil  to  the  beloved  tutor.  The  full 
import  of  this  fact  becomes  more  apparent  when  it  is 
recalled  that  nearly  three  hundred  field-officers  alone  in 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  distributed  among  the 
three  branches,  besides  nearly  five  hundred  subalterns, 
had,  for  varying  periods,  been  closely  associated  with 
him,  and  subjected  to  the  influence  of  his  personality, 
before  they  were  called  upon  to  follow  and  cooperate 
with  him  upon  the  field  of  war.  They  were  his  children, 
his  wards,  and  knew  each  and  every  whim  of  their  leader 


218  The  Military  History  or 

for  whom  only  the  highest  respect  was  entertained.  In 
him,  they  reposed  that  subhme  confidence  which  knows 
not  reservation,  content  to  rely  upon  the  judgment  of 
one  who  in  the  closest  relations  of  life  had  never  failed 
them  in  the  past.  Unconsciously,  perhaps,  but,  if  so, 
all  the  more  thoroughly,  they  had  absorbed  his  teachings, 
and  become  able  to  follow  the  habit  of  his  mind.  And, 
so,  when  his  first  successes  crowned  him  with  a  halo 
of  military  glory,  they  who  had  already  accorded  him 
the  fullest  measure  of  confidence,  enthroned  him  as  the 
special  object  of  their  pride.  From  the  very  first,  Jack- 
son's success  was  redolent  of  glory  for  a  host  of  followers 
holding  him  up  to  the  admiring  world  as  their  own 
tutelary  genius.  So  far  as  thej^  were  concerned,  it  was 
not  an  unknown  general  whose  orders  bade  them  follow, 
and  suffer,  and  die  upon  the  field  of  battle.  Their  leader 
was  Major  Jackson,  and  they  were  cadets  as  of  yester- 
day, each  vying  with  the  others  to  merit  the  reward  of 
his  approving  eye.  The  stern,  and  occasionally  harsh, 
drill-master  of  former  davs  was  now  become  a  leader  of 
acknowledged  ability,  and  they — the  cadets — had  be- 
come the  company,  the  battery,  the  battalion,  the  regi- 
mental, yea,  the  brigade,  leaders,  in  such  numbers  as  to 
leaven  the  entire  army,  and  to  transmit  to  the  whole, 
receptive  as  it  was,  their  own  spirit  of  pride  and  de- 
votion. 

Not  only  was  this  true,  but  to  no  one  was  it  so  well 
known  as  to  Jackson  himself.  Conscious  of  the  sincerity 
of  his  own  purpose,  confident  of  the  power  he  held,  and 
that  no  demand  he  might  make  would  fail  to  elicit  the 
fullest  possible  response  from  his  men,  in  this  spirit  it 
was  at  Chancellorsville — the  supreme  hour  of  his  life — - 
having  given  his  commands,  he  viewed  with  pride  the 
army  which  swept  before  him  to  execute  his  bidding; 
and,  in  the  joy  of  the  commander  who  felt  the  responsive 
throb  of  his  army's  pulse,  exclaimed,  ''The  Virginia  Mili- 
tary Institute  will  be  heard  from  to-day."  The  remark  is 
capable  of  but  one  reasonable  interpretation.  Other 
constructions  may  be  placed  upon  it,  but  the  true  one  is 
that    Jackson,    sin*rounded    by    Rodes,    Colston,    and 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  219 

Crutchfield,  all  of  whom  had  been  his  associates  in  the 
faculty,  at  the  Institute,  the  last  his  pupil  as  well,  and 
closely  scrutinizing  the  countenances  of  his  men  as  they 
filed  past  him,  saw,  in  the  faces  of  his  youthful  but 
seasoned  field  officers,  something  portentous  of  more 
than  the  usual  elan  of  his  troops.  Yes,  from  the  eyes  of 
the  regimental,  battalion,  and  company  leaders,  a  host 
of  whom  he  had  guided  to  manhood's  estate,  bearing  as 
they  were  the  burden  of  his  fame,  Hashed  a  mute  as- 
surance that  nothing  save  death  would  deter  them,  in 
obedience  to  his  behest.  And,  so,  when  smitten  by  fate 
at  the  hour  of  his  greatest  glory,  it  was  his  children 
whose  hearts  were  wrung  with  anguish  as  they  gazed 
upon  his  fallen  form.  No  mere  loss  of  a  heroic  leader 
was  this  to  an  armv,  but  a  wound  which  tore  the  very 
heart-strings  of  his  men,  many  of  them  regarding  the 
blow  as  prescient  of  the  future. 

Without  desiring,  in  any  respect,  to  detract  from  the 
fame  of  the  man,  who,  deprecating  the  advent  of 
fratricidal  strife,  yet  could  throw  away  his  scabbard,  let 
us  ask,  where  in  all  the  history  of  war  was  there  another 
so  fortunately  circumstanced  as  was  Jackson?  From  a 
psychological  viewpoint,  he  was  certainly  highly 
favored. 

It  has  been  reiterated  by  such  military  philosophers 
as  Billow,  Jomini,  Willisen,  Clausewitz,  Moltke,  Von 
der  Goltz,  Henderson,  and  Balck,  that  the  moral  force 
is  the  preponderant  one  in  war.  The  moral  force  which 
gives  men  the  will-power  to  overcome  all  obstacles,  to 
shrink  from  no  danger,  and  to  strive  for  victory  at  any 
cost,  emanates  from  those  sentiments  which  inspirit  men 
to  become  courageous  soldiers.  "In  a  general  way,  these 
sentiments  are,  religious  zeal,  patriotism,  enthusiasm  for 
a  commander,  discipline,  and,  most  of  all,  confidence  re- 
sulting from  experience."*  If  these  be  facts,  let  us 
apply  them  to  the  case  under  consideration. 

The  prestige  of  Jackson  gave  him  complete  moral 
ascendancy  over  his  men;  and  that  prestige  was  de- 

•Psychology  of  War.   Eltinge,  p.   64. 


220  The  Military  History  of 

cidedly  the  outgrowth  of  an  experience  which  many 
of  his  subordinates  had  gained  with  him,  his  officers  com- 
prising the  psychological  or  suggestive  medium,  by 
which  the  spirit  of  confidence  in  and  enthusiasm  for,  the 
commander,  was  generated  in  his  army. 

"The  best  obeyed  commanders  are  neither  the  best 
instructed,  the  most  inteUigent,  the  most  paternal,  nor 
the  most  severe,  but  are  those  who  have  innate  or  ac- 
quired prestige.  .  .  .  It  is  because  of  it  that  his 
suggestions  take  on  an  irresistible  power,  that  he  is  able 
to  throw  his  soldiers  against  the  enemy  in  an  enthusiastic 
assault,  and  that  he  can  stop  with  a  gesture  the  first 
fugitives,  tranforming  them  into  heroes."* 

Now,  let  us  follow  him  to  the  field  of  Chancellorsville, 
and  see  if  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  did  not  figure 
in  that  crowning  success  of  his  career. 

The  great  soldier  had  led  his  turning  column  across 
the  face  of  Hooker's  crouching  army.  He  had  recon- 
noitered  the  vulnerable  flank  of  Howard's  11th 
Corps  on  the  extreme  right  of  the  Federal  position,  and 
his  well-formulated  orders  had  been  issued  with  the  de- 
cision for  which  he  was  noted.  It  was  then  nearly  five 
o'clock. 

While  the  eager,  but  silent.  Confederates  were  being 
deployed,  their  quick  intelligence  having  already 
realized  the  situation,  Jackson  sat  astride  "Little  Sor- 
rel" abreast  of  his  first  line  of  battle.  With  his  old 
slouch  hat  pulled  well  forward,  and  his  lips  tightly  com- 
pressed, he  calmly,  but  impatiently,  awaited  the  com- 
pletion of  the  dispositions  for  advance.  Who  shall 
know  what  were  his  feelings  during  this,  the  supreme, 
hour  of  his  life?  Certainly,  few  soldiers,  since  the  world 
began,  have  been  so  situated.  Less  than  half  a  mile 
before  him  lay  the  exposed  flank  of  his  enemy,  entirely 
unprepared  to  meet  the  rush  of  his  fiery  battalions.  It 
almost  seemed  that  Fame,  even  had  she  never  favored 
him  before,  had  already  spread  over  his  shoulders  the 

♦Ibid.,  p.  70.  For  Psychology  of  War  see  "Etudes  sur  le  combat,"  Dupicq ; 
Psychology  du  Combat  de  I'lnfantere,  Loque ;  Les  Realities  du  Combat,  Dau- 
dlgnac  ;  Actual  Experience  in  Warfare,  Solaviev. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  221 

cloak  of  immortality.  With  that  supreme  confidence  in 
himself,  and  a  confidence  in  his  men  which  few  leaders 
have  ever  experienced  in  so  high  a  degree,  the  hawk  of 
the  valley  was  deliberately  spreading  his  pinions  for  the 
sudden  swoop.  On  the  familiar  faces  of  his  leaders  he 
discerned  only  the  expression  which  gladdened  his  heart, 
and  forbade  thought  of  failure.  There  were  Rodes  and 
Colston  of  the  Institute  faculty,  in  front,  and  in  their 
divisions  were  not  less  than  200  brigade,  regimental, 
battalion  and  company  leaders,  whom  he  had  drilled 
upon  the  parade  ground  at  Lexington,  for  this,  the 
greatest  maneuver  of  his  life.  On  the  right,  at  the  head 
of  the  leading  regiment  of  cavalry,  was  the  dashing 
Munford,  and  in  his  rear,  the  brilliant  Crutchfield  in 
command  of  the  artillery,  both  of  whom  had  been  his 
pupils,  and  the  latter  his  associate  in  the  faculty  of  Vir- 
ginia's great  School  of  Arms.  Small  wonder  was  it 
that  the  inspiration  which  animated  the  soul  of  the 
chieftain  penetrated  to  the  very  core  of  his  army! 

In  addition  to  the  officers  named,  many  other 
prominent  actors  in  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  had 
been  cadets  under  Jackson.  General  James  H.  Lane, 
Captain  J.  T.  Tosh,  Colston's  Assistant  Adjutant-Gen- 
eral; Colonel  Thomas  H.  Carter,  Chief  of  Artillery  of 
Rodes's  Division;  Major  H.  A.  Whiting,  A.  A.  G. 
Rodes's  Division;  Colonel  John  M.  Brockenbrough, 
commanding  Heth's  Brigade;  Colonel  R.  M.  Mayo, 
47th  Virginia;  Colonel  T.  S.  Garnett,  48th  Virginia, 
commanding  brigade;  Colonel  Frank  Mallory,  5.5th 
Virginia,  commanding  brigade;  Lieutenant-Colonel 
E.  P.  Taylor,  22d  Virginia  Battalion;  General  R. 
Lindsay  Walker,  Chief  of  Artillery,  A.  P.  Hill's 
Division;  Colonel  Briscoe  G.  Baldwin,  Chief  of 
Ordnance,  A.  N.  V. ;  Colonel  R.  W.  Carter,  1st  Virginia 
Cavalry;  Colonel  Thomas  H.  Owen,  3d  Virginia 
Cavalry;  and  Colonel  W.  H.  Payne,  4th  Virginia 
Cavalry,  were  among  the  graduates  of  the  Institute. 
Thus,  it  is  seen  that  all  four  of  Jackson's  cavalry  regi- 
ments, two  of  his  divisions,  and  two  battalions  of  his 


222  The  Miijtary  History  of 

artillery  were  commanded  by  former  pupils,  besides  his 
leading  Ijrigades,  and  many  batteries  and  regiments.* 
With  these  facts  before  us,  can  we  wonder  that  he  ex- 
claimed, as  he  set  his  column  in  motion  early  in  the 
morning,  "The  Virginia  ^lihtary  Institute  will  be 
heard  from  to-day"? 

At  five  o'clock,  Jackson  asked  General  Rodes,  "Are 
you  ready?"  "Yes",  rephed  Rodes,  who  then  nodded  to 
the  conmiander  of  the  skirmish  line.  At  5:15  p.  m.  the 
signal  for  the  general  advance  was  given,  and  almost 
immediately  Willis's  skirmishers  struck  the  Federal 
pickets  along  the  pike,  who  fell  back,  giving  the  alarm. 
The  Confederate  bugles  rang  out  all  along  the  advanc- 
ing line  like  the  cry  of  wild  fowl  in  the  teeth  of  a  gale. 
On,  past  the  foremost  skirmishers,  dashed  Breathed, 
with  the  leading  section  of  his  battery,  and,  unlimber- 
ing  on  the  pike,  with  each  of  the  two  guns,  fired  a  round 
of  shell  which  raked  the  road  and  burst  like  wind-tossed 
flecks  of  spray  from  the  crest  of  the  onrushing  wave. 

Again,  success  crowned  Jackson  on  this  day;  but 
while  Chancellorsville  marked  his  last  feat  of  arms,  it 
does  not  spell  his  final  victory.  Hooker  had  been  driven 
across  the  Rappahannock ;  the  tide  of  invasion  had  again 
been  turned  back ;  but  the  bullet  which  shattered  the  left 
arm  of  his  lieutenant,  had  destroyed  the  right  arm  of 
Lee;  for,  on  May  10th,  the  mighty  Jackson  succumbed, 
eight  days  after  his  wounding.  But,  Death,  where  was 
thy  sting? 

The  story  of  his  last  hours  on  earth  is  one  full  of 
pathos,  as  well  as  of  the  most  inspiring  lessons  for  the 
soldier.  In  the  hour  of  his  death,  he  was  as  great  as 
when,  upon  the  various  battlefields  of  his  career,  with 
exalted  mien  and  superb  composure,  he  led  his  men  to 
victory.  Concerning  his  wounding  and  death.  Long- 
street  wrote:  "The  shock  was  a  very  severe  one  to  men 
and  officers,  but  the  full  extent  of  our  loss  was  not  felt 
until  the  remains  of  the  beloved  general  had  been  sent 
home.     The  dark  clouds  of  the  future  then  began  to 

•In  the  2nci  Virginia  (^avalry.  Col.  Munford  commanding,  were  23  officers 
who    had   been    cadets. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  223 

lower  above  the  Confederates."  General  Lee,  in  a 
note  to  the  wounded  general  on  the  3d,  in  the  midst  of 
the  battle,  had  declared  that  could  he  have  directed 
events,  he  should  have  chosen,  for  the  good  of  the 
country,  to  have  been  disabled  in  Jackson's  stead.  In 
closing  his  message,  he  congratulated  Jackson  upon  the 
victory  his  "skill  and  energy"  had  won;  but  the  latter, 
expressing  appreciation  of  his  superior's  remarks,  de- 
clared that  General  Lee  should  give  the  praise  to  God, 
and  not  to  him. 

Soon  after  his  wounding,  he  had  been  removed  by 
order  of  General  Lee  to  the  Chandler  house,  near 
Guiney's  Station,  where  Dr.  McGuire  did  all  in  his 
power  to  save  him;  but  on  Thursday,  the  7th,  he  de- 
veloped pneumonia  of  the  right  lung,  doubtless  attrib- 
utable to  a  fall  from  the  litter  the  night  he  was  wounded 
and  carried  from  the  field  in  the  same  ambulance  with 
poor  "Stape"  Crutchfield.  Fortunately,  for  his  peace 
of  mind,  Mrs.  Jackson  arrived  this  day  with  her  infant 
child,  and  took  the  place  of  his  chaplain  who  had  re- 
mained almost  constantly  with  him.  By  Saturday, 
Doctors  Hoge,  Breckinridge,  and  Tucker,  had  joined 
McGuire  in  an  effort  to  save  him;  and,  noting  their 
presence,  he  said  to  Dr.  McGuire:  "I  see.  from  the 
number  of  physicians  that  you  think  my  condition  is 
dangerous,  but  I  thank  God,  if  it  is  His  will,  that  I  am 
ready  to  go."  When  informed  by  Mrs.  Jackson  at  day- 
light, the  next  morning,  that  he  should  prepare  for  the 
worst,  he  was  silent  for  a  moment,  and  then  said:  "It 
will  be  infinite  gain  to  be  translated  to  Heaven."  And, 
so  we  see  that,  although  this  wonderful  man  still  clung 
to  a  hope  of  recovery,  his  confidence  in  the  future  was  as 
supreme  as  his  self-confidence  had  been  on  earth.  Never 
once  did  he  express  a  doubt  of  his  ability  to  rise  superior 
to  present  difficulties,  or  to  meet  the  future.  His  sole 
request  was  to  be  buried  in  Lexington,  in  the  Valley  of 
Virginia,  where,  as  a  simple  and  unassuming  professor 
of  the  science  of  war,  he  had  kept  the  smothered  fire  of 
liis  genius  aglow,  while  preparing  himself,  and  a  host  of 


224  The  Military  History  of 

his  pupils,  for  the  inevitable  struggle  which  he  had  fore- 
seen. When  told  by  his  wife  that  before  sundown  he 
would  be  in  Heaven,  he  called  for  Dr.  McGuire,  and 
asked  him  if  he  must  die.  To  the  affirmative  answer  he  re- 
ceived, his  reply  was,  "Very  good,  very  good,  it  is  all 
right."  His  efforts  were  then  to  comfort  his  heart- 
broken wife,  and  when  Colonel  "Sandie"  Pendleton,  of 
Lexington,  entered  his  room  about  1 :00  p.  m.,  he  in- 
quired who  was  preaching  at  headquarters  on  this,  his 
last.  Sabbath.  Being  informed  that  the  whole  army 
was  prajang  for  him,  he  said:  "Thank  God,  they  are 
very  kind.  It  is  the  Lord's  day;  my  wish  is  fulfilled.  I 
have  always  desired  to  die  on  Sunday." 

His  mind  now  began  to  weaken,  while  his  lips 
frequently  muttered  commands,  as  if  he  were  on  the 
field  of  battle — then  words  of  comfort  for  his  wife. 
When  tendered  a  drink  of  brandy  and  water,  he  declined 
it,  saying:  "It  will  only  delay  my  departure,  and  do  no 
good.  I  want  to  preserve  my  mind,  if  possible,  to  the 
last."  Again,  he  was  told  that  but  few  hours  remained 
for  him,  and,  again,  he  replied  feebly,  but  firmly:  "Very 
good,  it  is  all  right." 

In  the  delirium  which  preceded  his  death,  he  cried 
out:  "Order  A.  P.  Hill  to  prepare  for  action;  pass  the 
infantry  to  the  front  rapidly;  tell  Major  Hawks" — 
then,  pausing,  a  smile  of  ineffable  sweetness  spread 
over  his  pallid  face,  and  with  an  expression  as  if  of  re- 
lief, he  said:  "No,  no;  let  us  cross  over  the  river  and 
rest  under  the  shade  of  the  trees."  Then,  without  sign 
of  pain,  or  the  least  struggle,  his  spirit  passed  onward 
and  upward  to  God. 

Such,  were  the  final  moments  of  the  great  soldier. 
With  body  all  but  cold  in  death,  as  long  as  his  pulse  con- 
tinued, the  dictates  of  his  heart  were  pure.  Ahnost  to 
the  instant  that  heart  ceased  to  beat,  his  mind  had  given 
evidence  of  the  quality  of  the  man  in  the  flash  of  the  will, 
though  now  sub-conscious,  which  possessed  his  spirit. 
Still,  his  mind  dwelt  upon  rapid  action  and  the  rush  of 
the  infantry,  which  ever  filled  his  soul  with  joy;  but, 


COLONEL    \Vn.LL\M    GILHAM 
Co:M>rAXDAXT  i>i-   Cahets   184r.-lSr)j 

I'KOFKSSOI!    1  .S4t!-1  Sfi.j 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  225 

then,  even  in  that  last  flicker  of  his  intellect,  he  realized 
that  the  flag  of  truce  had  been  raised  by  his  enemies,  and 
interposing  the  stay  of  his  final  words,  "No,  no — ,"*  he 
died  in  the  happiness  of  the  earthly  victory  he  had  won. 

Let  us  be  thankful  that  his  men  were  preparing  to 
rest  upon  their  arms  and  were  not  engaged  in  the  heated 
turmoil  of  the  charge,  when  he  bade  them  farewell.  Let 
us  be  thankful  that  this  dispensation  was  granted  him 
by  the  Maker  who  gently  led  him  to  the  shade  of  the 
riverside,  where  rested  all  those  gallant  youths  who  had 
preceded  him.  No  longer  were  they  his  pupils,  and  his 
subordinates  in  war,  but  his  equals  in  the  Eternity  of 
Peace. 

At  five  o'clock  p.  m.^  May  12th,  the  following  com- 
munication was  received  at  the  Institute : 

"Adjutant-General's  Office, 

"Richmond,  Va.,  May  11,  1863. 

"Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"Superintendent,  Virginia  Military  Institute. 

"Sir — By  command  of  the  Governor,  I  have  this  day  to  perform 
the  most  painful  duty  of  my  official  life,  in  announcing  to  you,  and 
through  you  to  the  Faculty  and  Cadets  of  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute,  the  death  of  the  great  and  good,  the  heroic  and  illustrious 
Lieutenant-General  T.  J.  Jackson,  at  fifteen  minutes  past  three 
o'clock,  yesterday  afternoon. 

"This  heavy  bereavement  over  which  every  true  heart  within 
the  bounds  of  the  Confederacy  mourns  with  inexpressible  sorrow, 
must  fall,  if  possible,  with  heavier  force  upon  that  noble  State 
Institution  to  which  he  came  from  the  battlefields  of  Mexico,  and 
where  he  gave  to  his  native  State  the  first  years'  service  of  his 
modest  and  unobtrusive,  but  public-spirited  and  useful,  life. 

"It  would  be  a  senseless  waste  of  words  to  attempt  a  eulogy 
upon  this  great  among  the  greatest  of  the  sons  who  have  im- 
mortalized Virginia.  To  the  Corps  of  Cadets  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute,  what  a  legacy  he  has  left  you,  what  an  example 
of  all  that  is  good  and  great  and  true  in  the  character  of  a  Christian 
soldier !' 

"The  Governor  directs  that  the  highest  funeral  honors  be  paid 
to  his  memory,  and  that  the  customary  outward  badges  of  mourning 
be  worn  by  all  the  officers  and  cadets  of  the  Institute. 

"By  command, 

"W.  H.  Richardson,  A.-G." 

•According  to  Captain  James  Power  Smith,  .Taclison's  last  remarks  included 
the  two  words,   no,  no,  and   were  not,  as  usually  quoted,   without   those   words. 


15 


220  The  Military  History  of 

And,  so,  but  an  earthly  rite  remained  to  those  whom 
the  great  soldier  had  left  behind.  Far  off  from  the 
scene  of  conflict,  that  youthful  band,  bound  together 
then  as  it  is  now  by  the  traditions  of  his  fame,  awaited, 
with  lips  compressed  and  watery  eyes,  the  duty  which  of 
riglit  they  claimed,  a  privilege  ungrudgingly  accorded 
them  by  the  world. 

The  news  of  General  Jackson's  death  came  as  a  shock 
to  the  Institute,  and  to  the  people  of  Lexington,  where 
no  one  had  thought  seriously  of  the  possibility  of  losing 
him.  The  grief  in  the  community  was  intense,  and 
everybody  was  in  tears.  Men  had  made  an  idol  of  their 
fellow  being,  and  now  God  rebuked  them.  The  beauti- 
ful sky,  and  the  rich  perfumed  spring  air  of  Lexington, 
seemed  darkened  by  the  oppressive  sorrow  everywhere 
to  be  seen. 

Hear,  now.  the  words  which,  with  faltering  voice,  the 
Acting  Adjutant  read  to  the  assembled  Corps: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"May  13,  1863. 

"General  Orders- — No.  30. 

"It  is  the  painful  duty  of  the  Superintendent  to  announce  to 
the  officers  and  cadets  of  this  Institution  the  death  of  their  late 
associate  and  Professor,  Lieutenant-General  Thomas  J.  Jackson. 
He  died  at  Guiney's  Station.  Caroline  County,  Virginia,  on  the 
10th  inst.,  of  pneumonia,  after  a  short  but  violent  illness,  which 
supervened  upon  the  severe  wound  received  in  the  battle  of 
Chancellors  ville. 

"A  nation  mourns  the  loss  of  General  Jackson.  First  in  the 
hearts  of  the  brave  men  he  has  so  often  led  to  victory,  there  is 
not  a  home  in  the  Confederacy  that  will  not  feel  the  loss,  and 
lament  it  as  a  great  national  calamity.  But  our  loss  is  distinctive. 
He  was  peculiarly  our  own.  He  came  to  us  in  1851,  a  Lieutenant 
and  Brevet-j\Iajor  of  Artillery  from  the  Army  of  the  late  United 
States,  upon  the  unanimous  appointment  of  the  Board  of  Visitors, 
as  Professor  of  Natural  and  Experimental  Philosophy  and  In- 
structor of  Artillery.  Here,  he  labored  with  scrupulous  fidelity 
for  ten  years  in  the  duties  of  these  important  offices.  Here,  he 
became  a  soldier  of  the  Cross,  and  as  an  humble,  conscientious  and 
useful  Christian  man  he  established  a  character  which  has  developed 
into  the  world-renowned  Christian  hero. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  227 

"On  the  21st  of  April,  upon  the  order  of  His  Excellency, 
Governor  Letcher,  he  left  the  Institute  in  command  of  the  Corps 
of  Cadets  for  Camp  Lee,  Richmond,  for  service  in  the  defense  of 
his  State  and  country ;  and  he  has  never  known  a  day  of  rest 
until  called  by  Divine  command  to  cease  from  his  labors. 

"The  military  career  of  General  Jackson  fills  the  most  brilliant 
and  momentous  page  in  the  history  of  our  country,  and  of  the 
achievement  of  our  arms,  and  he  stands  forth  a  colossal  figure  in 
this  War  of  our  Independence. 

"His  country  now  returns  him  to  us — not  as  he  was  when  he  left 
us.  His  spirit  has  gone  to  God  who  gave  it.  His  mutilated  body 
comes  back  to  us — to  his  home,  to  be  laid  by  us  in  the  tomb. 
Reverently  and  affectionately,  we  will  discharge  this  last  solemn 
duty,  and, 

"  'Though  his  earthly  sun  is  set 

Its  light  shall  linger  round  us  yet — 
Bright,  radiant,  blest.' 

"Young  gentlemen  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  the  memory  of  Gen- 
eral Jackson  is  very  precious  to  you.  You  know  how  faithfully, 
how  conscientiously  he  discharged  every  dut3\  You  know  that  he 
was  emphatically  a  man  of  God,  and  that  Christian  principle  im- 
pressed every  act  of  his  life.  You  know  how  he  sustained  the 
honor  of  our  arms  when  he  commanded  at  Harper's  Ferry ;  how 
gallantly  he  repulsed  Patterson  at  Hainesville ;  the  invincible  stand 
he  made  with  the  Stonewall  Brigade  at  Manassas.  You  know  the 
brilliant  series  of  successes  and  victories  which  immortalized  his 
Valley  campaign,  for  many  of  you  were  under  his  standard  at  Mc- 
Dowell and  pursued  the  discomfited  Banks  and  Schenck  to  Franklin. 
You  know  his  rapid  march  to  the  Chickahominy ;  how  he  turned  the 
flank  of  McClellan  at  Gaines's  Mill;  his  subsequent  victory  over 
Pope  at  Cedar  Mountain;  the  part  he  bore  in  the  great  victory  at 
Second  Manassas;  his  investment  and  capture  of  Harper's  Ferry; 
his  rapid  march  and  great  conflict  at  Sharpsburg;  and,  when 
his  last  conflict  was  past,  the  tribute  of  the  magnanimous  Lee 
who  would  gladly  have  suffered  in  his  own  person,  could  he  by 
that  sacrifice  have  saved  General  Jackson,  and  to  whom,  alone, 
under  God,  he  gave  the  whole  glory  of  the  great  victory  at 
Chancellorsville. 

"Surely,  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  has  a  precious  in- 
heritance in  the  memory  of  General  Jackson.  God  gave  him  to 
us  and  to  his  country.  God  fitted  him  for  his  work,  and,  when 
his  work  was  done.  He  called  him  to  Himself.  Submissive  to  the 
will  of  his  Heavenly  Father — it  may  be  said  of  him  that  while  in 
every  heart  there  may  be  some  mourning — his  will  was  to  do  and 
suffer  the  will  of  God. 


228  The  Militaey  History  of 

"Reverence  the  memon'  of  such  a  man  as  General  Jackson. 
Imitate  his  virtues,  and,  here,  over  his  lifeless  remains,  reverently 
dedicate  your  service  and  life,  if  need  be,  in  defense  of  that  cause 
so  dear  to  his  heart — the  cause  for  which  he  fought  and  bled — the 
cause  in  which  he  died. 

"Let  the  Cadet  Battery  which  he  so  long  commanded  honor  his 
memory  by  half-hour  guns  to-morrow  from  sunrise  to  sunset,  under 
the  direction  of  the  Commandant  of  Cadets.*  Let  his  lecture-room 
be  draped  in  mourning  for  the  period  of  six  months. 

"Let  the  officers  and  cadets  of  the  Institute  wear  the  usual  badge 
of  mourning  for  the  period  of  thirty  days ;  and  it  is  respectfully 
recommended  to  all  the  Alumni  of  the  Institute  to  unite  in  this  last 
tribute  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  their  late  Professor. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  Smith, 

"A.  G.  Hill, 

"Actg.  Adjt.,  V.  M.  I." 

Thursday  evening,  May  14th,  the  body  of  Jackson, 
accompanied  by  his  wife  and  child,  his  former  aide, 
Captain  James  Power  Smith,**  and  a  number  of  others, 
arrived  at  Lexington  on  a  canal  boat,  which  had  trans- 
ported the  remains  from  Richmond  via  Lynchburg,  f 
It  was  met  by  the  Corps  of  Cadets  and  all  the  officers 
of  the  Institute,  as  well  as  the  entire  populace  of  the 
town,  and  escorted  by  the  Corps  to  Barracks  where  the 
body  was  laid  in  state  in  the  old  tower  Section  Room, 
Number  39,  in  which  Jackson  had  said,  "If  war  must 
come,  as  a  soldier  I  will  welcome  war!"  That  evening, 
at  Retreat,  the  following  order  was  read: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"May  14,  1863. 

"General  Orders — No.  37. 

"1.  The  funeral  of  Lieutenant-General  Jackson  will  take  place 
to-morrow.  Major  Scott  Shipp,  Commandant  of  Cadets,  will  com- 
mand the  military  escort,  and  direct  the  procession. 

"2.     The  body  will  move  from  the  Institute  at  11  o'clock  a.  m. 

"3.  Half-hour  guns  will  be  fired  from  sunrise  until  the  pro- 
cession moves. 


•There  were  now  but  five  pieces  In  the  battery.  One  howitzer  had  been 
lost  in  the  Potomac  by  Milledge's  Battery  on  the  retreat  from  Sharpsburg. 
See  report  of  General   Pendleton  on   Sharpsburg  Campaign.      Rebellion   Records. 

**Llving  still,  a  distinguished  minister  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

tCol.  .Tames  W.  Massie  was  later  designated  to  accompany  Mrs.  Jackson  to 
her  home  in  North  Carolina. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  229 

"■it.  The  Flags  of  the  State  and  Confederacy  will  be  displayed 
at  half-mast  during  the  day. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  Smith, 

"A.  G.  Hill, 

"Actg.  Adjt.,  V.  M.  I." 

It  was  now,  as  the  cadets  with  reversed  arms  and 
muffled  drums,  bore  the  remains  of  their  martial  divinity 
back  to  Barracks,  that  they  first  reahzed  that  Jackson 
was  dead. 

"Could  it  be  possible?  They  had  believed  that  he 
had  a  charmed  life.  The  Institute  had  sent  a  host  of 
magnificent  officers  to  the  front.  There  were  Rodes, 
Mahone,  Lindsay  Walker,  The  Patton  brothers.  Lane, 
Crutchfield,  McCausland,  Colston,  and  many  others  of 
lower  rank;  but  'Old  Jack'  was,  from  his  shoulders  and 
upwards,  tallest  among  the  people,  in  the  estimation  of 
the  cadets," 

The  Corps  furnished  sentinels  from  the  Guard  to  keep 
the  mournful  vigil,  while  the  people  of  the  town  and 
county  thronged  to  the  Barracks  to  view  the  remains. 
Men,  women,  and  children  wept  over  Jackson's  bier  as 
if  his  death  were  a  personal  affliction,  and  in  the  great 
Barracks  the  voice  of  the  cadet  was  choked  with  sorrow. 
Flowers  were  piled  high  about  the  casket  until  it  was 
hidden  from  view;  and,  the  sun  set  brilliantly  beyond 
the  House  Mountain,  spreading  its  mellow  light  over 
the  great  parade  ground,  and  piercing  the  casemate 
window  of  the  embattled  tower  with  its  searching  rays; 
the  fragrant  lilacs  about  the  bier  glistened  in  the  fading 
hours  of  day  as  if  wet  with  nature's  tears  and  those  of 
the  heartbroken  mourners  who  had  borne  them  thither. 

How  jealously  the  young  soldiers,  detailed  to  guard 
the  bier  of  Jackson  through  that  night,  prized  the  duty 
which  befell  them !  But  hundreds  are  even  j^et  to  come, 
who,  in  the  still  hours  of  the  night,  as  they  saunter  back 
and  forth  upon  the  lonely  sentry  post,  will,  in  spirit, 
guard  the  remains  of  Jackson — the  sacred  heritage  of 
his  erstwhile  presence. 


230  The  Military  Histoky  of 

Friday,  May  15th,  the  body  was  again  escorted  by 
the  Corps,  the  Cadet  Battery  which  he  had  commanded 
for  ten  years  at  the  Institute,  and  in  battle  at  First 
Manassas,  comprising  the  Artillery  escort,  as  ordered. 
The  coffin,  draped  with  the  first  Confederate  flag  ever 
made,  presented  by  President  Davis  to  Mrs.  Jackson, 
was  placed  on  one  of  the  caissons  upon  which  were 
heaped  beautiful  wreaths  and  wild  flowers.  The  horses 
were  led  by  the  servants  of  the  Institute  acting  as 
grooms. 

The  escort  was  commanded  by  the  Conmiandant, 
Major  Shipp,  a  former  pupil  of  Jackson's,  and,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  battery,  consisted  of  a  regiment  of  infantry 
of  which  the  cadets  comprised  eight  companies;  de- 
tached members  of  the  Stonewall  Brigade,  one 
company;  and  a  number  of  convalescent  soldiers  from 
the  Institute  hospital,  one  company.  Two  troops  of 
cavalry  of  Sweeney's  Squadron,  Jenkins'  command 
(many  of  its  members  being  from  Jackson's  native 
section),  by  a  strange  coincidence,  happened  to  be  pass- 
ing through  Lexington  from  the  West,  just  at  the  hour 
appointed  for  the  procession  to  move !  They  halted,  pro- 
cured mourning  for  their  colors,  and  joined  the  escort. 

The  military  escort,  followed  by  a  great  number  of 
people,  moved  first  to  the  Presbyterian  Church  where 
ceremonies,  wonderfully  pathetic  in  their  simplicity 
and  the  strength  of  their  appeal,  were  conducted,  and 
then  to  the  Cemetery  where  the  remains  were  interred, 
with  the  military  honors  appropriate  for  a  Lieutenant- 
General.  But  the  crash  of  musketry  and  cannon  was 
lost,  for  in  the  ears  and  hearts  of  those  assembled  rung 
the  words  of  the  funeral  hymn— 

"How  blest  the  righteous  when  he  dies!" 

How  fitting  it  was  that  the  Chapel  in  which  his  life- 
less body  lay  in  state  should  be  the  Section-Room  in 
which  for  ten  long  years  he  set  so  noble  an  example! 
How  fitting  is  was  that  the  hearse  which  bore  to  the 
grave  all  that  was  earthly  of  the  great  soldier-professor 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  231 

should  be  a  caisson  of  the  battery  he  had  so  long  com- 
manded, with  which  he  had  trained  the  Confederate 
Artillery,  and  among  the  flashing  guns  of  which  he  re- 
ceived his  immortal  sobriquet! 

In  the  shadow  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  on  the  gentle  emi- 
nence commanding  the  loveliest  view  of  the  peaceful, 
picturesque  vales  bej'^ond,  and  with  the  great  House 
Mountain  as  his  headstone,  which,  like  a  huge  sentinel, 
stands  guard  beside  the  parade  ground  of  his  life, 
tenderly  was  his  body  laid  to  rest  by  the  youthful 
soldiers  he  loved  so  well.  But,  still  with  the  uncovered 
blade  of  immortality, — 

His  spirit  wraps  yon  dusky  mountain, 
His  memory  sparkles  o'er  each  fountain; 
The  meanest  rill,  the  mightiest  river, 
Rolls,  mingling  his  fame  with  theirs  forever.* 

Cadets  of  yesterday,  what  privileges  were  yours! 
What  influences  were  these  that  entered  into  your  lives ! 
How  we,  to-day,  envy  you  the  exalting  scenes  amid 
which  you  wore  the  coatee,  consoled  only  by  the  know- 
ledge that  you,  and  the  noblest  traditions  of  your  deeds, 
belong  to  us,  for  all  time.  That  you  were  not  un- 
worthy of  your  opportunities,  your  records  show,  and 
on  the  page  of  one  we  read : 

"Next  day,  we  buried  him  with  pomp  of  war,  the 
cadets  his  escort  of  honor ;  with  minute  guns  and  tolling 
bells,  and  most  impressive  circumstances,  we  bore  him 
to  his  rest.  But  those  ceremonies  were  to  me  far  less 
impressive  than  walking  post  in  that  bare  sentry  room, 
in  the  still  hours  of  night,  reflecting  that  there  lay  all 
that  was  left  of  one  whose  name  still  thrilled  the  world." 

The  burial  of  Stonewall  Jackson  made  a  deep  im- 
pression upon  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  a  body  of  youth  to 
whom  death  was  no  longer  strange.  For  months  at  the 
Institute,  each  day  had  dawned  fraught  with  messages 
of  blood  and  loss.  Each  hour  had  swelled  the  list  of  the 
Alumni  who  had  fallen  in  the  battles  of  their  country. 

♦Paraphrase. 


232  The  Military  History  of 

Before  the  summer  of  1862,  the  following  record  was 

engraven   upon   the   minds   of   every   member   of   the 

Corps : 

Brig.-  Lieut. - 

Gens.    Cols.       Cols.     Maj.    Capt.    Lieut.    Pri. 

Killed  or  died    1           18               8            4          22            20         13—  86 
Wounded 3  18  14  11  19  20        85 


Total 4  36  22  15  41  40         13 — 171 

But  this  list  was  only  indicative  of  the  sacrifice  yet  to 
be  made,  and  only  partially  shows  the  way  in  which  the 
Institute  was  to  repay  to  the  State  its  debt  of  gratitude.* 

It  had  been  the  custom  of  the  cadets,  when  things 
went  amiss  in  the  army,  to  say,  "Wait  until  'Old  Jack' 
gets  there;  he  will  straighten  matters  out."  They  felt, 
therefore,  that  his  loss  was  irreparable.  The  cold  face 
on  which  they  had  looked  taught  them  lessons  which 
the  curriculum  of  no  college  taught — lessons  which  even 
the  cadet  of  to-day  pursues  with  the  text-book  of 
tradition  in  his  hand. 


♦The   Class   of   1858,   with   19   members  alone,   lost   7   in   battle,   and   3   lost 
limbs — Reid,  Cutshaw,  and  Wilson. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  233 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE   SUMMER   OF    1863.       AVERELL^S   FIRST   RAID A   NEW 

SESSION   AND   NEW   ARMS 

After  the  death  of  Jackson,  many  cadets  resolved 
to  delay  no  longer  gaining  the  necessary  authority  from 
their  parents  to  enter  the  army,  and  some  even  without 
taking  that  step,  resigned,  or  took  "French"  leave  of 
the  Institute,  without  waiting  for  the  end  of  the  session. 

The  annual  examinations  were  ordered  to  begin  June 
22d,  and,  upon  their  termination  on  June  30th,  the 
Corps  was  mustered  and  placed  in  camp,  after  a  re- 
view before  the  Board  of  Visitors,  and  a  board  of  army 
officers  detailed  by  the  War  Department  to  inspect  the 
Institute.*  The  Army  Board  consisted  of  Brigadier- 
Generals  A.  K.  Lawton,  A.  G.  Blanchard,  R.  E. 
Colston,  and  Roger  A.  Pryor. 

On  July  4th,  the  final  exercises  were  held ;  ten  cadets 
were  graduated,  and  furloughs  were  granted  the  Second 
Class.  The  Corps  now  numbered  215  cadets,  the  largest 
number  of  old  cadets  ever  mustered  at  the  Institute  up 
to  that  time. 

Those  familiar  with  the  history  of  this  period  will  not 
forget  that  on  the  4th  of  July,  1863,  when  the  final 
exercises  at  the  Institute  were  being  held,  the  great 
battle  of  Gettysburg  had  just  been  fought,  and  the 
surrender  of  Vicksburg  was  taking  place. 

After  Lee's  retreat  from  Pennsylvania,  the  cry  for 
men  to  fill  the  depleted  ranks  was  loud.  Captain  Wil- 
fred E.  Cutshaw,  V.  M.  I.,  '58,  a  gallant  artilleryman, 
temporarily  incapacitated  for  active  duty  by  a  wound 
received  in  the  battle  of  Winchester  in  1862,  had,  under 
the  orders  of  the  War  Department,  reported  for  duty 
at  the  Institute  on  June  6th. 

*S.   O.   No.    140,   A.   &  I.   C.   O.   Tune   12,    1863. 


234  The  Military  History  of 

With  such  an  officer  present  to  command  the  Corps 
there  was  no  pressing  need  for  the  Commandant  to  re- 
main during  the  summer,  and,  without  hesitating,  he, 
together  with  Lieutenants  H.  A.  Wise,  and  J.  G. 
Miller,  tactical  officers,  departed  to  join  the  army; 
John  E.  Roller,  and  Joseph  B.  Prince,  just  graduated, 
taking  the  places  of  the  last  two,  as  Assistant  Pro- 
fessors. R.  A.  Crawford  of  this  Class  was  later  ap- 
pointed a  tactical  officer,  and  subsequently  died  in  the 
field. 

During  the  dark  days  following  Gettysburg,  Scott 
Shipp,  Commandant  of  Cadets,  formerly  Major,  21st 
Virginia  Infantry,  served  as  a  private  soldier  in  the  4th 
Virginia  Cavalry.*  Later,  he  was  urged  by  all  field 
officers  of  his  old  regiment  except  one  to  accept  the 
colonelcy,  but  the  Secretary  of  War  would  not  allow 
him  to  do  so  as  a  single  field  officer  would  not  waive  his 
right  to  advancement.  His  sole  desire  was  to  serve  where 
most  needed.  In  those  perilous  times,  men  paid  little 
heed  to  superficial  marks  of  rank.  Let  it  be  remembered 
how  he,  whose  frock  coat  bore  the  insignia  of  a  field- 
officer  of  infantry,  sprung  into  the  saddle  of  the  alert 
vidette  to  patrol  the  outposts,  when  the  troops  he  might 
have  commanded  lay  bleeding  and  resting  in  their 
camps.  Such  was  the  stuff  of  which  this  stern  soldier 
was  made ;  and  when  the  gravest  danger  had  passed,  he 
reluctantly  resumed  his  post  at  the  Institute  which  a 
wounded  comrade  had  filled  in  his  absence. 

The  monotony  of  the  summer  camp,  and  drilling,  was 
broken  in  August,  when,  on  the  13th,  Captain  Cutshaw, 
the  Acting  Commandant,  was  directed  at  the  request  of 
General  Colston,  to  furnish  Captain  R.  D.  Lilley  (V. 
M.  I.),  District  Enrolling  Officer,  with  a  detachment 
to  round  up  a  party  of  deserters. 

The  detachment  consisting  of  .50  cadets  under  the 
command  of  Lieutenant  Wise,  who  had  returned  to 

•He  was  promoted  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Institute,  July  7th,  1863  br 
the  Board  of  Visitors.  •'  '  '     ■' 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  235 

duty,*  was  ordered  to  scour  the  mountain  haunts  in 
the  vicinity  of  Lexington,  where  many  deserters  were 
known  to  be  in  hiding.  This  was  dangerous,  though 
ignominious,  duty,  attended  with  many  hardships  and 
httle  prospect  of  a  successful  issue.  The  bold 
mountaineers  were  as  little  apt  to  surrender  to  the 
patrols  without  desperate  resistance,  if  cornered,  as  they 
were  to  allow  themselves  to  be  apprehended  in  the  rug- 
ged hill  country  every  foot  of  which  they  had  known 
since  boyhood.  The  effort  to  apprehend  the  deserters 
and  force  them  back  into  the  ranks,  where  men  were  so 
greatly  needed,  was  abandoned  at  the  end  of  the  second 
day,  without  mishap,  or  success,  of  any  kind.  Subse- 
quently, the  Corps  was  called  upon  to  furnish  detach- 
ments for  similar  work  on  a  number  of  occasions. 

Another  incident,  more  stirring  than  deserter-himt- 
ing,  occurred  late  in  August. 

On  the  5th  of  August,  Brigadier-General  William  W. 
Averell,  commanding  the  4th  Separate  Cavalry  Bri- 
gade, 8th  Army  Corps,  U.  S.  Army,  set  out  from  Win- 
chester, Virginia,  with  about  3,500  men  and  8  guns,  on 
a  raid  the  object  of  which  was  to  destroy  the  various 
saltpetre  works  in  the  western  part  of  Virginia.  After 
skirmishes  at  Cold  Spring  Gap  and  Moorefield,  West 
Virginia,  on  the  5th  and  6th,  he  destroyed  the  saltpetre 
works  near  Franklin  on  the  19th,  brushed  the  Con- 
federate cavalry  aside  in  a  skirmish  at  Huntersville  on 
the  22d,  and  again  near  Warm  Springs,  Virginia,  on 
the  24th.  His  destination  was  then  Covington,  a  point 
less  than  forty  miles  from  Lexington. 

Having  driven  the  force  under  Colonel  William  L» 
Jackson,  consisting  of  about  900  men,  out  of  Pocahontas 
County,  Averell  determined  to  turn  his  column  toward 
Lewisburg,  in  the  hope  that  the  movement  up  to  Warm 
Springs  had  deceived  the  Confederates  and  led  them 
to  believe  he  was  heading  for  Staunton.     On  the  25th, 

♦Resignation  tendered  July  4th,  1863,  accepted  July  7th,  reappointed  July 
27th. 

Colonel  Shipp,  or  "Old  Shipp",  as  the  cadets  called  him.  was  frequently 
tendered  commands  in  the  field  and  constantly  sought  active  service,  but  each 
time  his  resignation  as  Commandant  was  rejected  and  the  greatest  pressure 
brought  to  bear  to  keep  him  at  the  Institute. 


236  The  Military  History  of 

after  detaching  a  regiment  back  to  Huntersville,  he 
made  a  rapid  march  of  25  miles  to  Callaghan's, 
in  Alleghany  Comity,  destroying  the  saltpetre  works 
on  Jackson's  River,  as  he  passed.  From  Callaghan's 
reconnoitering  parties  were  sent  out  toward  Covington 
and  Sweet  Springs.  The  saltpetre  works  near  Coving- 
ton were  also  destroyed,  and  a  small  wagon  train 
captured. 

On  the  morning  of  the  25th,  Jackson's  infantry  was 
near  Old  Millboro,  and  his  cavalry  pickets  near  Bath 
Alum.  His  plan  was,  if  Averell  pressed  him,  to  make 
a  stand  at  Panther  Gap,  near  Goshen  Depot,  and  en- 
deavor to  hold  that  position  mitil  he  could  receive  re- 
inforcements from  Lexington.  With  this  plan  in 
mind,  he  at  once  called  on  Colonel  Edmondson,  com- 
manding the  Home  Guard  in  Lexington,  and  the 
Superintendent  of  the  Institute,  to  support  him.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  following  order  was  at  once  issued : 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"August  25,  1863. 
"Special  Order — No.  165. 

"1.  An  urgent  call  having  been  made  by  Brigadier-General 
W.  L.  Jackson,  for  reinforcements,  and  particularly  for  artillery, 
to  enable  him  to  repel  a  threatened  attack  by  the  enemy,  upon  the 
borders  of  this  county,  which,  if  successful,  would  expose  the 
Institute,  and  the  county,  to  the  outrages  of  an  unscrupulous  foe, 
and  the  Home  Guard  of  Lexington  having  promptly  responded  to 
this  call,  the  Superintendent  deems  it  his  duty  to  make  use  of  every 
available  man  of  this  Institution  in  this  important  defense.  He 
considers  this  the  only  effectual  means  now  at  command  to  give 
safety  and  security  to  the  public  property  committed  to  the  charge 
of  the  Corps  of  Cadets. 

"The  Acting  Commandant  of  Cadets,  Captain  W.  E.  Cutshaw, 
will  immediately  make  a  detail  of  four  detachments  of  cadets  to 
man  four  pieces  of  artillery,  and  to  organize  two  companies  of 
cadets  as  an  infantry  support,  and  he  will  march  without  delay 
and  join  the  command  of  General  Jackson,  for  such  temporary  duty 
as  the  emergency  calls  for. 

"2.  The  Commissary  will  supply  cooked  rations  for  two  days 
for  the  command,  and  additional  uncooked  rations  for  five  days. 

"3.  The  Quartermaster  of  the  Confederate  Stables  has  con- 
sented to  supply  horses  for  the  Artillery. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  237 

"4.  The  Surgeon  will  make  all  necessary  provisions  for  the  care 
of  the  sick  and  disabled. 

"5.  The  solemn  responsibility  which  again  withdraws  the  Corps 
of  Cadets  from  their  regular  duties  is  an  appeal  to  that  patriotism 
which  burns  in  every  Southern  heart.  The  Superintendent  con- 
fidently relies  upon  the  courage  and  fidelity  of  this  command  in 
all  the  duties  to  which  they  may  be  called.  He  shares  their  dangers 
and  their  hardships  with  them,  and  he  trusts  they  may  soon  be 
privileged  to  return  to  their  post  of  duty. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  F.   H.  Smith. 

"A.  G.  Hill, 

"Actg.  Adjt.,  V.  M.  I." 

Leaving  Lexington  about  noon  on  the  25th,  with 
two  cadet  companies,  and  the  four  6-poimders,  Captain 
Cutshaw  bivouacked  at  Rockbridge  Baths,  11  miles, 
that  night,  reaching  Goshen,  10  miles,  early  on  the  26th, 
preceded  by  Colonel  Edmondson  with  two  companies 
of  Home  Guards,  numbering  about  forty  men. 

On  reaching  Goshen,  General  Smith,  who  ac- 
companied the  Corps,  was  informed  by  Colonel  W.  L. 
Jackson  that  the  enemy  had  fallen  back,  the  main 
column  to  Pocahontas,  some  cavalry  taking  the  Hot 
Springs  road  toward  Greenbrier.  Later,  a  dispatch  was 
received  from  Jackson,  who  was  at  Millboro,  asking 
General  Smith  and  Colonel  Edmondson  to  cooperate 
with  him  in  making  a  diversion  to  prevent  the  enemy 
from  attacking  Lewisburg,  and  begging,  especially,  that 
the  cadet  artillery  be  loaned  him. 

While  willing  enough  to  risk  battle  in  the  defense  of 
Lexington  and  the  Institute,  the  Superintendent  re- 
called too  well  the  action  of  the  Governor  and  the  Board 
of  Visitors,  in  connection  with  the  McDowell  affair,  to 
authorize  the  participation  of  the  cadets  in  ojffensive 
field  operations. 

To  Colonel  Jackson's  request  he,  therefore,  replied 
that  he  did  not  feel  authorized  to  take  the  cadets  upon 
any  military  operations,  except  in  protection  of  the 
State  property  they  were  supposed  to  guard;  but  be- 
lieving that  this  protection  could  best  be  rendered  by 
the  support  of  the  Confederate  troops  at  Panther  Gap, 


238  The  Military  History  of 

he  had  promptly  moved  forward  to  that  point.  He 
also  stated  that  he  feared  to  leave  Lexington  unpro- 
tected longer,  without  the  express  orders  of  the  Gover- 
nor, and  that  a  dispatch  from  Colonel  Nadenboush, 
commanding  at  Staunton,  informed  him  that  General 
Imboden  had  sent  forward  reinforcements. 

Notwithstanding  the  strong  pressure  brought  to  bear 
on  him  by  the  citizens  of  Bath  County  and  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Goshen  to  let  the  cadets  accompany  Jackson,  the 
Superintendent  ordered  the  Corps  back  that  night  to 
Rockbridge  Alum  Springs,  and  the  Home  Guards 
followed.  Bivouacking  for  the  night  at  the  Alum,  the 
Corps  reached  Barracks  at  5  p.  m.  on  the  27th,  after  a 
march  of  twenty  miles  during  that  day,  and  about  fifty 
miles  since  leaving  Lexington  on  the  25th. 

The  Cadet  command  on  this  occasion  was  largely 
composed  of  new  cadets,  the  First  Class  having 
graduated,  and  the  Second  Class  being  on  furlough,  and 
it  was  miserably  armed  and  shod. 

At  Rocky  Gap,  near  White  Sulphur  Springs, 
Averell  was  checked  by  Colonel  Jackson's  cormnand, 
and  the  First  Brigade,  Army  of  Western  Virginia, 
imder  the  gallant  Colonel  George  S.  Patton,  V.  M.  I., 
'52.  After  suffering  severe  loss,  the  Federal  raiding 
colimin  retreated  to  Beverly,  West  Virginia,  having 
covered  nearly  700  miles  in  less  than  thirty  days;  and 
the  threatened  danger  to  Lexington  and  the  Institute 
was  past.* 

On  the  28th  of  August,  Captain  Cutshaw  received 
orders  to  rejoin  his  command,  having  been  promoted 
Major  of  Artillerj^  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Shipp,  who 
had  returned,  resimied  his  duties  as  Commandant  of 
Cadets. 

The  Corps  had  marched  50  miles  without  seeing  hair 
or  hide  of  an  enemy.  The  weather  in  the  mountains  in 
late  August  is  always  cool  during  the  nights,  but  in 

•See  Reports  of  Brigadier-General  Averell,  Major-General  Samuel  Jones, 
Commanding  Department  of  Western  Virginia,  Col.  William  L.  Jackson,  and 
Col.  George  S.  Patton,  Rebellion  Records,  Series  I,  Vol.  XXIX,  Part  I,  pp. 
32.52. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  239 

1863  it  was  unusually  so.  Poorly  shod,  and  with  cloth- 
ing entirely  inadequate  for  field  service  at  such  a  season, 
the  cadets  suffered  extremely  from  the  chillness  of  the 
weather,  and  foimd  little  in  the  experience  to  com- 
pensate for  the  hardships  they  were  called  upon  to  en- 
dure. Nevertheless,  the  fact  that  the  Corps  was 
regarded  by  the  military  authorities  as  always  ready 
and  available  for  service,  was  a  matter  of  pride  to  the 
cadets  and  proved  a  valuable  handle  to  discipline.  The 
experiences  of  the  Corps  at  Charles  Town  in  1859, 
Camp  Lee  in  1861,  McDowell  in  1862,  and  on  the  oc- 
casion of  Averell's  raid  in  August,  1863,  instilled  in  the 
body  of  cadets  an  esprit  de  corj^s  productive  of  the  best 
results.  Not  one  of  the  yomig  soldiers  but  felt  the  satis- 
faction of  having  borne  arms  in  the  service  of  his 
coimtry,  and  though  they  had  never  yet  been  in  action, 
as  a  unit,  they  knew  that  they  were  but  temporarily 
withheld  from  active  duty  in  the  field,  in  order  that  soon 
they  might  render  a  higher  service  as  officers,  and 
emulate  the  noble  examples  on  the  field  of  battle  of 
those  who  daily  went  forth  to  the  army  from  their 
midst. 

Notwithstanding  the  drain  upon  the  South  for  men, 
and  the  fact  that  the  cradle  was  being  literally  robbed, 
new  cadets  continued  to  report  for  duty  throughout  the 
simimer  of  1863;  so  that  when  the  Corps  broke  camp, 
September  1st,  it  numbered  about  275  cadets,  this  being 
the  largest  enrollment  in  the  history  of  the  Institute, 
up  to  that  time.  Of  the  500  applicants,  only  127  could 
be  received. 

Impressed  with  the  inefficiency  of  the  arms  with  which 
the  Corps  was  provided,  in  the  recent  field  service,  the 
Superintendent,  upon  his  return  from  Goshen,  at  once 
addressed  the  Adjutant-General  on  the  subject. 

Upon  the  reorganization  of  the  Corps,  January  1, 
1862,  he  had  urged  that  36  horses  be  provided  the 
Institute  for  the  use  of  the  battery  in  order  that  better 
artillery  instruction  might  be  given;  but  the  scarcity  of 
animals  had  prevented  compliance  with  this  wise  sug- 
gestion. 


240  The  Military  History  or 

The  artillery  material  of  the  battery  still  consisted  of 
the  four  6-pomider  smooth-bore  brass  guns,  and  one 
12-pounder  Howitzer,  the  other  having  been  lost  in  the 
Potomac  by  Milledge's  Battery,  as  said  before,  on  the 
retreat  from  Sharpsburg.  The  small  arms  consisted  of 
old  smooth-bore  muskets.  Accordingly  he  forwarded 
a  requisition  for  two  rifled  field  guns,  such  as  the  Corps 
had  turned  over  to  the  Ordnance  Officer  at  Camp  Lee, 
and  200  rifled  muskets,  with  400  rounds  of  fixed 
artillery  ammunition,  and  about  20,000  rounds  of 
musket  cartridges. 

"If  the  Governor  has  no  means  within  his  power  to 
order  these  munitions  from  the  ordnance  department  of 
Virginia,  I  think  it  probable  a  plain  statement  of  the 
facts  of  the  case  would  cause  the  President  to  order  the 
same  from  the  ordnance  department  of  the  Confederate 
States. 

"Had  the  enemy  continued  to  force  Colonel  Jackson 
towards  Panther  Gap,  the  cadets  would  have  given  him 
support  at  that  point.  But  how  unequally  would  they 
have  been  called  upon  to  render  the  necessary  duty? 
Exposed  to  the  Parrott  guns  and  Enfield  rifles  of  the 
enemy,  this  battery  would  have  been  disabled  before 
coming  within  effective  range  for  this  service,  while  the 
cannoneers  would  have  been  picked  off  by  the  sharp- 
shooters, without  the  means  of  reply.  These  mountain 
passes  may  be  readily  guarded;  and  if  my  application 
is  favorably  and  promptly  met,  this  county  will  be  fully 
guarded."* 

In  his  report  of  the  part  borne  by  the  cadets  in  the 
Averell  raid,  the  Superintendent  also  said: 

"And  now,  while  matters  are  taking  the  direction  of  greater 
pressure  from  the  enemy,  I  should  be  pleased  to  receive  specific 
directions  from  the  Governor,  and  Board  of  Visitors,  and  Adjutant- 
General,  as  to  my  duty  in  these  emergencies  crowding  as  they  do 
upon  us,  in  a  moment  of  panic.  I  want  to  do  my  whole  duty,  but 
before  doing  it,  I  must  know  what  that  duty  i«."** 

♦General  Francis  H.  Smith,  to  Adjutant-General  of  Virginia,  August  28,  1863. 
**Letter  of  August  27,   1863. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  241 

In  reply,  the  following  letter  was  received: 

"Adjutant-General's  Office,  Va., 

September  4,  1863. 

"General — Your  reports  of  the  25th,  27th  and  28th  ultimo  have 
been  received,  and  laid  before  the  Governor  by  whom  I  am  in- 
structed to  say  that  he  highly  approves  your  prompt  and  energetic 
action  in  moving  the  Corps  of  Cadets  to  the  support  of  Col.  William 
L.  Jackson,  when  pressed  by  the  enemy  at  a  point  where  their 
success  might  have  endangered  the  Institute  and  public  property 
in  your  charge,  the  emergency  admitting  of  no  delay  for  orders. 

"To  disembarrass  you  of  all  doubts  and  difficulties  which  may 
grow  out  of  the  movements  of  the  enemy  in  that  portion  of  the 
State,  and  appreciating  in  its  fullest  force  the  necessity  of  deter- 
mining, as  you  request,  what  your  duty  is,  or  may  be,  in  any 
contingency,  the  Governor  decides  that,  although  general  military 
service  is  not  due  from  the  Corps  of  Cadets  to  the  State,  yet,  that 
the  Corps,  to  the  extent  of  guarding  and  defending  the  Military 
Institute,  and  other  public  property  connected  with  it,  being  a  part 
of  the  military  establishment  of  the  State,  may,  and  must,  be  used 
for  that  purpose,  when  the  necessity  arises ;  and  whether  that 
defense  be  necessary  upon  the  spot,  or  at  a  distance  even  of  fifty 
miles,  that  does  not  affect  or  impair  the  obligation  to  meet  the  duty 
as  the  guard  of  the  Institution. 

"Emergencies  may  arise  at  any  time,  while  a  state  of  war  exists, 
which  may  compel  you  to  make  the  defense  of  the  Institute  at  some 
other  and  distant  point,  or  points.  Of  this,  the  Governor  desires 
me  to  say  that  you  must  of  necessity  decide,  when  there  is  no  time 
to  communicate  with  the  Commander-in-Chief.  Your  own  military 
attainments  and  experience,  in  his  estimation,  will  always  enable 
you,  better  than  he  can  do  at  a  distance,  to  determine  upon  the 
time,  the  place,  and  the  measure  of  such  defense  as  may  be  needful. 
It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add  that  needless  exposure  of  the  Corps 
of  Cadets  shall  be  carefully  avoided. 

"You  will  act  in  accordance  with  these  instructions  until  further 
orders,  unless  some  legislative  action  shall  otherwise  determine. 

"The  armament  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets  will  be  improved  to  the 
extent  of  means  at  the  Governor's  control. 

"By  command, 


'Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"Supt.  V.  M.  Institute. 


'Wm.  H.  Richardson, 

"Adjt.-General. 


These  instructions  were  broad,  and  allowed  the 
Superintendent  a  discretion  which,  we  shall  see,  was 
fully  exercised. 


ic 


242  The  Military  History  of 

Perceiving  the  danger  to  which  the  Institute  was  ex- 
posed, and  the  excellent  service  it  was  capable  of  ren- 
dering, hi  the  defense  of  Lexington,  and  other  exposed 
points  which  the  forces  under  Major- General  Samuel 
Jones,  commanding  the  Department  of  the  West,  and 
those  under  Imboden  in  the  Valley  District,  were  not 
always  capable  of  guarding,  the  Governor  not 
only  authorized  the  Superintendent  to  supplement  the 
efforts  of  the  Home  Guard  companies  which  at  this  time 
were  being  encouraged  all  through  the  State,  but 
directed  the  issue  of  better  arms  to  the  Corps. 

Accordingly,  two  captured,  U.  S.  Ordnance  rifled 
field  pieces,  and  200  rifled  muskets  were  soon  shipped  to 
the  Institute  from  Lynchburg,  and,  throughout  the  re- 
mainder of  the  war,  comprised  the  armament  of  the 
Corps  of  Cadets. 

During  the  summer  of  1863,  other  ordnance  had  also 
been  received  at  the  Institute,  but  these  guns  were  un- 
serviceable and  procured  by  the  Superintendent  merely 
as  ornamental  relics. 

For  years,  there  had  been  stored  in  the  Arsenal  at 
Richmond  a  nimiber  of  bronze  French  guns  of  the  most 
superb  pattern.  Cast  in  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV,  who 
was  noted  for  his  elaborate  ordnance,  they  had  been  sent 
to  Virginia  by  Lafayette  with  other  arms,  during  the 
Revolutionary  War.  In  1862,  so  scarce  was  the  supply 
of  gim  metal  that  the  old  French  guns  were  being 
melted  up  at  the  Tredegar  Works,  and  recast  into 
howitzers.  Upon  learning  of  this  desecration.  General 
Smith,  with  the  aid  of  General  Richardson,  secured  for 
the  Institute  the  remaining  guns  which  included  two 
6-pounders,  two  9-pounders,  and  two  24-pounders,  all 
of  which  were  at  once  mounted  on  stone  pedestals  in 
front  of  the  Cadet  Barracks. 

It  so  happened,  and  by  an  odd  coincidence,  that  two 
other  relic  guns  were  also  received,  these  6-pounder 
pieces  having  been  cast  at  the  Tredegar  Works  in 
March,  1862,  from  the  metal  obtained  from  six  of  the 
large  French  guns  referred  to.    By  order  of  the  Gover- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute         243 

nor,  they  were  issued  to  the  famous  Letcher  Battery  of 
Richmond  (named  in  his  honor),  of  which  Greenlee 
Davidson,  of  Lexington,  was  the  captain,  and  Charles 
Elhs  Munford,  John  Tyler,  Thomas  A.  Brander,  and 
Wilham  E.  Tanner,  the  lieutenants.  They  were  first 
used  at  Mechanicsville,  June  26,  1862,  next  at  Malvern 
Hill  where  Lieutenant  Munford  was  killed,  and  one 
of  them  was  used  at  Warrenton  Springs,  Second 
Manassas,  Harper's  Ferry,  and  Fredericksburg. 

The  Letcher  Battery  was  rearmed  with  rifles  captured 
at  Harper's  Ferry,  and,  after  the  gallant  death  of 
Captain  Davidson  at  Chancellorsville,  the  two  brass 
veterans  were  presented  to  the  Institute  by  the  officers 
of  the  battery,  as  a  memorial  to  their  former  commander, 
and  mounted  side  by  side  with  the  sister  pieces  of  those 
from  which  they  were  cast.  They  still  remain  in  front 
of  Barracks. 


244  The  Military  History  or 


CHAPTER  XVI 


GETTYSBURG  AND   THE  V.    M.    I.    IN    PICKETT  S   CHARGE 

LATIMERj  THE  ^^BOY   MAJOR^^ 

Gettysburg!  What  days  were  those  when  the  earth 
reeled  and  the  heavens  rocked  beneath  the  blows  of  the 
struggling  Titans! 

Not  alone  at  First  and  Second  Manassas,  throughout 
the  Valley  campaign,  at  Sharpsburg,  Fredericksburg, 
and  Chancellorsville,  had  the  Institute  played  a  leading 
role,  for,  while  there  was  no  Jackson  left  to  testify  to 
their  deeds,  on  no  battlefield  of  the  war, — Chancellors- 
ville not  excepted, — did  the  graduates  of  the  Institute 
play  so  prominent  a  part  as  on  that  of  Gettysburg. 

It  would  be  impracticable  to  enumerate  the  deeds  of 
them  all.  It  will  suffice  to  mention  a  few,  and  claim  for 
the  Institute  its  just  share  in  what  has  been  said  to  be 
the  most  heroic  feat  of  arms  in  the  great  war  of  1861-65. 

Accordingly,  the  organization  of  Pickett's  Division 
will  be  given,  and  the  V.  M.  I.  field-officers  therein, 
enumerated. 

Garnett's  Brigade. 

8th  Virginia,   Lieut. -Col.  Norborne  Berkeley,  '48,  commanding 
(after  Colonel  Eppa  Hunton  was  wounded). 
18th  Virginia,  Lieut.-Col.  H.  A.  Carrington,  '61,  commanding. 

Major  Edwin  G.  Wall,  '48. 
19th  Virginia,  Col.  Henry  Gantt,  '51,  commanding. 

Lieut.-Col.  John  T.  Ellis,  '48. 

Major  Waller  M.  Boyd,  '61. 
28th  Virginia,  Col.  Robert  C.  Allen,  '55,  commanding. 

Major  William  L.  Wingfield,  '59. 

Major  Nathaniel  C.  Wilson,  '58. 
56th  Virginia,  Col.  William  D.  Stuart,  '60,  commanding. 

Lieut.-Col.   Philip  P.  Slaughter,  '61. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  245 

Armistead's  Brigade. 

9th  Virginia,  Lieut. -Col.  Jasper  J.  Phillips,  '53.* 
Major  Mark  B.  Hardin,  '58. 

14th  Virginia,  . 

38th  Virginia,  Col.   Edward  C.   Edmonds,  '58,  commanding. 
53d    Virginia,  Lieut. -Col.  Edgar  B.  Montague,  '55,  commanding. 
57th  Virginia,  Col.  John  B.  Magruder,  '61,  commanding. 

Kemper's  Brigade. 

Col.     Joseph     Mayo,     '52,     commanding     (after 
General  Kemper  was  wounded). 
1st   Virginia,  Col.   Lewis   B.  Williams,   '55,  commanding. 

Major  George  F.  Norton,  '60. 
3d    Virginia,  Col.  Joseph  Mayo,  '52,  commanding. 

Lieut. -Col.  Alexander  D.  Callcote,  '51. 
Major  William  H.  Pryor,  '48. 
7th  Virginia,  Col.   Waller   Tazewell   Patton,   '55,  commanding. 
Lieut. -Col.  C.  C.  Flowerree,  '61. 
11th   Virginia,  Major  Kirkwood  Otey,  '49,  commanding. 
24th  Virginia,  Col.  William  R.  Terry,  '50,  commanding. 
Major  Joseph  A.  Hambrick,  '57. 
Capt.  J.  R.  Hammett,  '61. 

It  will  be  observed  that  every  one  of  the  fifteen  regi- 
ments of  Pickett's  famous  divisions,  except  two,  the  9th 
and  14th  Virginia,  was  commanded  by  a  graduate  of 
the  Institute;  besides  Kemper's  Brigade,  after  the 
wounding  of  Brigadier-General  James  L.  Kemper. 
Colonel  Eppa  Hunton,  8th  Virginia,  who  was  not  a 
graduate,  was  wounded  early  in  the  charge. 

Furthermore,  it  is  to  be  noted  that  of  the  large  number 
of  field-officers  who  were  struck  down  eighteen  were 
graduates,  namely, — 

Carrington,  Gantt,  Mayo,  Otey,  Terry,  Phillips, 
Hambrick,**  Norton,  and  Slaughter  (never  fully  re- 
covered), wounded;  and  Ellis,  Allen,  Stuart,  Edmonds, 
Magruder,  Williams,  Callcote,  Patton,  and  Wilson, 
killed;  and  thirteen  commanded  regiments  in  the  bloody 
battle. 

In  the  fifteen  regiments  of  Pickett's  Division,  there 
were  twenty-seven  field-ofiicers  among  the  graduates, 

♦Promoted  Colonel  of  9th,  vice  Owens  killed  at  Gettysburg. 
♦♦Later  killed  at  Drewry's  Bluff. 


246  The  Military  History  of 

and  many  captains  and  lieutenants  commanding  battal- 
ions and  companies  whose  names  are  not  given;  besides 
the  following  named  staff  officers,  to  wit:  Major 
Walter  H.  Harrison,  Assistant  Adjutant-General, 
Pickett's  Division;  Captain  William  T.  Fry,  Assistant 
Adjutant- General,  Kemper's  Brigade;  and  Captain 
William  L.  Randolph,  Ordnance  Officer,  Armistead's 
Brigade. 

In  Wilcox's,  Mahone's,  Wright's,  Posey's,  and 
Perry's  Brigades  of  Anderson's  Division,  and  Petti- 
grew's,  Brockenbrough's,  Archer's,  and  Davis's  Bri- 
gades of  Heth's  Division  (all  of  which  were  partially 
engaged  in  the  great  assault ) ,  were  also  many  gradu- 
ates, among  whom  may  be  mentioned  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral William  Mahone;  Lieutenant-Colonel  George  E. 
Tayloe,  10th  Alabama;  Lieutenant-Colonel  James  A. 
Broome,  14th  Alabama;  Major  Robert  B.  Taylor,  and 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Henry  W.  Williamson,  6th  Vir- 
ginia; Colonel  Joseph  H.  Ham,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Henry  T.  Parrish,  and  Major  Richard  O.  Whitehead, 
16th  Virginia;  Lieutenant-Colonel  Joseph  P.  Minetree, 
and  Major  Francis  W.  Smith,  41st,  Virginia;  Colonel 
James  K.  Marshall,  commanding  1st  Brigade,  Heth's 
Division,  Colonel  Henry  K.  Burgwyn,  Jr.,  26th  N.  C. ; 
Colonel  J.  M.  Brockenbrough  commanding  2d  Brigade 
Heth's  Division,  Colonel  Robert  M.  Mayo,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  William  J.  Green,  Major  Edward  P.  Tayloe, 
and  Major  Charles  J.  Green,  47th  Virginia;  Colonel 
George  S.  Patton,  and  Major  Isaac  W.  Smith,  22d 
Virginia;  and  Major  J.  Q.  A.  Richardson,  52d  North 
Carolina. 

In  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  the  following  graduates, 
or  ex-cadets,  are  known  to  have  sealed  their  devotion 
with  their  lives: 

Colonels  Robert  C.  Allen,  Henry  K.  Burgwyn,  Jr., 
William  D.  Stuart,  E.  C.  Edmonds,  John  B.  Magruder, 
Lewis  B.  Williams,  Waller  Tazewell  Patton,  James  K. 
Marshall;  Lieutenant-Colonels  John  T.  Ellis  and  Alex- 
ander D.  Callcote;  Majors  N.  Claiborne  Wilson  and 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  247 

J.  Q.  A.  Richardson;  Captain  Richard  C.  Logan;  Lieu- 
tenants W.  H.  Bray,  John  C.  Niemeyer,  and  Ed- 
ward A.  Rhodes,  and  Sergeant  Thomas  B.  Tredway. 

Colonel  Patton  was  not  killed  outright,  although  his 
wound  proved  to  be  a  mortal  one.  Shot  in  the  mouth 
he  was  carried  to  the  College  Hospital,  at  Gettysburg, 
where  he  expired  on  the  21st  of  July.  During  his  last 
days,  he  could  not  speak,  but  wrote  with  a  firm  hand 
upon  a  slate,  "My  trust  is  in  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ; 
my  all  is  intrusted  to  Him."  The  prominent  thoughts 
in  his  mind  were  his  mother,  his  Saviour,  and  his 
Comitry.  To  his  mother  this  gallant  officer,  but  twenty- 
nine  years  of  age  and  a  member  of  the  Virginia  Senate, 
wrote,  a  few  days  before  his  death,  "My  sufferings  and 
hardships  during  the  two  weeks  that  I  was  kept  out  in 
the  field  hospital  were  very  great.  I  assure  you  that  it 
was  the  greatest  consolation,  while  lying  in  pain  on  the 
cold,  damp  ground,  to  look  up  to  that  God  to  whom  you 
so  constantly  directed  my  thoughts  in  infancy  and  boy- 
hood, and  feel  that  I  was  His  son  by  adoption.  When 
friends  are  far  away,  and  you  are  in  sickness  and  sor- 
row, how  delightful  to  be  able  to  contemplate  the 
wonderful  salvation  unfolded  in  the  Bible!  Whilst 
I  have  been  very  far  from  being  a  consistent  Christian, 
I  have  never  let  go  my  hope  in  Jesus,  and  find  it  inex- 
pressibly dear  now.  I  write  these  things  to  show  you 
my  spiritual  condition,  and  to  ask  your  prayers  con- 
tinually for  me."  Again  he  said,  "Tell  my  mother  that 
I  am  about  to  die  in  a  foreign  land;  but  cherish  the 
same  intense  affection  for  her  as  ever."  He  told  the 
young  lady  who  nursed  him,  that  though  he  was  "a 
young  man,  and  cherished  life,"  he  would  "cheerfully 
lay  down  fifty  lives  in  such  a  cause  if  necessary." 

One  other  act  of  heroism  should  be  mentioned — the 
act  of  an  humble  lieutenant,  John  C.  Niemeyer  of  the 
Class  of  '61.  While  moving  forward,  his  regiment,  the 
9th  Virginia,  was  halted  three  times  and  dressed  under 
a  galling  fire.  After  the  last  halt,  it  moved  forward 
in  a  superb  line.     The  young  lieutenant,  at  the  head 


248  The  Military  History  of 

of  his  company,  turned  and  called  down  the  line  to  a 
brother  officer,  and  former  classmate  at  the  Institute, 
"John,  what  a  beautiful  line!"  As  he  spoke,  a  bullet 
pierced  his  brain,  and  he  fell  with  a  smile  upon  his  hps, 
no  doubt  happy  in  the  perfect  drill  of  his  men.  The 
body  of  the  gallant  lad  was  never  recovered  and  lies 
buried  at  Gettysburg  in  some  unknown  grave. 

Such  incidents  as  this  illustrate  the  character  of  the 
subalterns  who  led  the  troops  in  Pickett's  charge — those 
humble  leaders  who  reach  the  flaming  breastworks 
first,  but  see  the  laurel  crowns  on  other  heads. 

While  Colonel  Joseph  White  Latimer  took  no  part 
in  the  most  dramatic  incident  of  Gettysburg,  to  write 
of  that  battle  in  such  a  work  as  this  without  referring  to 
his  name  would  be  improper,  for  no  more  brilliant  name 
illumines  the  military  annals  of  the  Institute. 

Born  in  August,  1843,  he  entered  the  Institute  in 
1859,  and  was  a  Third  Classman  when  the  Corps  was 
ordered  to  Camp  Lee  in  1861.  He  was  at  this  time  as- 
signed as  drill-master  to  the  "Hampden  Battery,"  com- 
manded by  Captain  Laurence  S.  Marye.  In  September 
he  was  assigned  as  a  lieutenant  to  the  Richmond 
"Courtney  Battery,"  and  his  first  active  service  was  in 
pursuit  of  the  Federals  after  Second  Manassas,  when 
he  with  his  o\vn  boyish  hands,  but  with  the  intrepidity 
of  the  most  seasoned  veteran,  plied  a  gun  throughout 
the  day.  That  night,  as  he  snuggled  to  his  captain 
under  a  single  blanket,  he  said:  "Well,  Captain,  I  feel 
so  thankful  that  I  have  passed  through  this  fight  as  well 
as  I  have."  Thinking  he  meant  that  he  was  glad  he  had 
not  been  hurt,  the  older  officer  said  that  he  too  was 
thankful.  "Oh,  no;  I  don't  mean  that;  I  rather  wish 
I  had  received  a  small  wound,  so  I  might  see  how  I 
would  bear  it.  What  I  meant  is  this:  I  was  so  glad 
I  was  able  to  stay  at  my  post,  and  do  my  duty  during 
the  fight,  and  not  run  away.  I  have  always  wondered 
how  I  would  feel  in  a  fight,  and,  sometimes,  have  felt  a 
little  afraid  that  I  would  not  be  able  to  control  my- 
self, perhaps,  and  might  do  something  that  would  dis- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  249 

grace  me.  But  I  have  tried  it  now,  and  find  that  I  can 
stand,  and  have  no  uneasiness  for  the  future."  Such, 
was  the  youthful  soldier's  reply, — words  which  evi- 
denced that  sublime  moral  courage  which  was  to  make 
him  famous  on  many  battlefields. 

In  the  spring  of  1862,  the  men  of  the  battery  elected 
young  Latimer  first  lieutenant.  Brevetted  for  gallantry 
in  action  at  Cross  Keys,  he  was  regularly  commissioned 
captain  after  the  Seven  Days'  fighting,  and  major  in 
April,  1863,  at  the  age  of  nineteen. 

General  Jackson,  his  old  artillery  instructor,  had 
mentioned  him  in  orders  for  his  gallantry  in  the  Valley 
Campaign;  and  General  Ewell,  who  greatly  loved  him, 
spoke  of  the  "Boy-Major"  as  his  "little  Napoleon." 

In  the  Gettysburg  Campaign,  he  commanded 
Andrews's  Battahon,  Ewell's  Corps.  On  the  2d  of 
July,  that  battalion  occupied  an  exposed  position  on  the 
extreme  Confederate  left,  opposite  Culp's  Hill  and  the 
heavy  Federal  batteries  posted  on  Cemetery  Hill.  His 
command  was  literally  torn  to  pieces  in  the  unequal 
duel  in  which  it  unflinchingly  engaged;  but  ordering 
the  injured  guns  to  the  rear,  Major  Latimer  remained 
with  the  others.  His  officers  implored  him  to  dismount 
and  seek  cover;  but  this  he  refused  to  do,  as  he  wished 
to  be  prepared  to  dash  forward  with  his  remaining  guns, 
at  the  first  opportunity.  While  gallantly  cheering  on 
his  cannoneers  at  their  desperate  work,  he  fell  from  his 
horse  with  his  right  arm  shattered  by  a  fragment  of 
shell.  As  he  was  drawn  from  beneath  his  mount,  and 
carried  from  the  field,  he  held  up  the  stump  of  his 
mangled  arm,  and  in  a  clear  and  steady  voice  exhorted 
his  men  to  fight  harder  than  ever,  to  avenge  his  loss. 

After  the  amputation,  which  was  immediately  per- 
formed, he  was  taken  to  Winchester,  and  from  there, 
on  the  22d  of  July,  to  Harrisonburg.  He  lingered 
until  August  1st,  "when,  just  as  the  morning  sun  was 
shedding  its  light  o'er  earth  and  sky,  his  spirit  passed 
away." 


250  The  Military  History  of 

Just  before  his  death,  he  declared  that  he  was  not 
afraid  to  die,  "for,"  said  he,  "my  trust  is  in  God."  The 
day  before  this,  he  was  asked  by  the  chaplain  upon  what 
be  based  his  hopes  for  the  future.  "Not  on  good  works," 
he  replied,  "but  on  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ  alone." 

So  passed  away  as  noble  a  spirit  as  ever  dwelt  in 
human  frame,  a  spirit  worthy  of  that  of  Jackson.  It  is 
consoling  to  believe  that  in  Heaven  the  "Boy-Major" 
has  received  his  reward,  resting  side  by  side  with  his  im- 
mortal tutor-in-arms.  His  life  on  earth  was  life  but 
just  begun;  for,  surel}^  there  is  no  death  for  one  so  pure, 
so  gallant  and  so  young. 

The  artillery  appealed  with  special  force  to  the 
graduates  of  the  Institute.  In  that  branch  of  the  serv- 
ice, the  Institute  produced  Brigadier-General  R. 
Lindsay  Walker,  Colonel  Stapleton  Crutchfield, 
Colonel  Thomas  H.  Carter,  Colonel  John  R.  Waddy, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Francis  W.  Smith,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Wilfred  E.  Cutshaw,  Colonel  Briscoe  G. 
Baldwin,  Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  Jaquelin  Smith,  Lieu 
tenant-Colonel  Robert  Preston  Chew,  Major  A.  R.  H. 
Ranson,  Major  Daniel  Trueheart,  Major  James  W. 
Thomson,  Major  P.  B.  Stanard,  Major  Marcellus  N. 
Moorman,  Major  D.  W.  Flowerree,  Major  J.  McD. 
Carrington,  and  other  field  officers  of  note,  most  of 
whom  were  senior  in  rank  to  JMajor  Latimer,  but  none  of 
whom  could  boast  a  more  gallant  career  than  that  of 
the  "Boy-Major,"  who  was,  perhaps,  the  youngest 
artillery  field-officer  in  either  army. 

On  the  brow  of  Cemetery  Hill  there  stands  to-day  a 
monmnent  designed  to  mark  for  posterity  the  high-tide 
level  of  the  Confederacy.  Swelling  upward  until  it 
flooded  over  the  hostile  boimdary,  the  great  Southern 
tide  surged  forward  until  it  reached  that  height,  and 
then,  subsiding,  bore  back  with  the  wash  of  the  waters 
the  flotsam  of  an  army  wrecked  on  the  reef  of  fate. 
And,  as  they  look  upon  that  fateful  reef,  stained  with 
the  blood  of  Pickett's  men,  where  now  a  hundred  tombs 
remain  like  the  jetsam  of  the  wreck,  let  V.  M.  I.  men 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  251 

draw  inspiration  from  the  scene,  and  recall  that  it  was 
not  Pickett,  not  Armistead,  not  Garnett,  not  Kemper,  of 
West  Point,  alone,  who,  with  its  full  set  sails,  drove  the 
Confederate  ship  upon  that  shore;  but  Allen,  Stuart, 
Burgwyn,  Edmonds,  Magruder,  Williams,  Patton, 
Ellis,  Marshall,  Callcote,  Wilson,  Richardson,  and  the 
others  who  perished  in  the  storm,  and  a  host  of  their 
Institute  comrades  among  the  other  field-officers  of  that 
gallant  army.  Armistead  and  Garnett  were  of  heroic 
mold;  but  history  can  not  forget  they  were  but  two  of 
many.  Nor  can  it  be  successfully  denied  that  Pickett's 
charge  was  actually  led  by  graduates  of  the  V.  M.  I.; 
for  the  soldier  knows  that  it  is  the  colonels  and  the 
majors  and  the  captains,  who  carry  their  men  through 
the  confusion  of  the  cannon-swept  field,  however,  in- 
spiring the  presence  of  the  general  may  be  before  the 
charge  is  launched. 

With  such  facts  before  us  as  those  given,  may  we 
ask,  is  it  conceit  for  the  Institute  to  read  between  the 
lines  which  the  historians  of  Gettysburg  have  written, 
the  real  story  of  Pickett's  charge?  And  may  we  not 
point  out  to  future  historians  that  the  volunteer  troops 
which  reached  the  sunmiit  of  Cemetery  Hill,  July  3, 
1863,  were  commanded  by  officers  trained  in  a  School  of 
Arms ;  second  in  the  quality  of  its  graduates  to  no  other 
in  existence? 

Another  great  fact  is  to  be  noted  from  the  part  of  the 
V.  M.  I.  graduates  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  and 
that  is,  they  were  not  dependent  on  Jackson  for  military 
opportunity.  After  Jackson's  death,  the  army  was  re- 
organized into  three  Corps,  commanded  by  Longstreet, 
Ewell,  and  A.  P.  Hill,  respectively;  yet,  in  Pickett's 
Division — the  very  flower  of  the  army, — the  first  divi- 
sion of  the  first  corps,  practically  every  regiment  v/as 
commanded  by  a  graduate  of  the  Institute ! 


252  The  Military  History  of 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE    FALL    AND    WINTER    OF     1863 — AVERELL^S     SECOND 

RAID A  NEAR  BATTLE 

After  the  terrible  tragedy  of  Gettysburg,  the  Con- 
federate Government  rehed  more  than  ever  before  upon 
the  Institute  to  supply  trained  officers  for  the  lower 
grades  in  which  the  greatest  need  of  efficient  officers  was 
felt.  As  the  war  wore  on,  the  brigades  and  divisions 
were,  perhaps,  better  commanded  than  in  the  early 
stages.  Political  appointees  were  gradually  eliminated, 
and  the  trained  soldiers  succeeded  them  in  high  com- 
mand. But  hundreds  of  superb  officers^  like  those  who 
fell  at  Gettysburg,  and  who  had  comprised  the  field 
and  staff  of  the  line  regiments,  were  unreplaceable. 

When  the  war  broke  out,  the  Institute  had  actually 
graduated,  up  to  July,  1860,  but  412  cadets.  In  the 
South,  in  1861,  there  were,  perhaps,  1,000  men  who  had 
attended  the  Institute  one  or  more  years,  including  the 
142  cadets  graduated  in  July  and  December  of  that 
year,  less  those  who  had  died.  The  field-officers  in 
Virginia  were,  in  large  measure,  originally  drawn  from 
those  who  had  graduated  prior  to  1856,  all  of  whom 
were  men  from  twenty-five  to  forty  years  of  age.  Com- 
paratively few  of  these  men  became  general  officers,  at 
the  beginning,  because  there  were  not  over  100 
graduates,  capable  of  bearing  arms,  past  thirty  years 
old.  Up  to  July,  1849,  there  had  been  but  137 
graduates.  Some  of  this  number  were  beyond  military 
age,  and  others  had  died.  The  growth  of  the  School 
in  1850-1860  led  to  the  graduation,  in  the  second  decade 
of  its  existence,  of  275  cadets,  or  just  double  the  number 
in  the  preceding  ten  years.  Therefore,  it  is  fair  to  con- 
clude, taking  the  average  age  at  graduation  as  twenty- 
one  years,  that  at  least  two-thirds  of  the  412  graduates 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  253 

to  July,  1860,  were  not  over  thirty  years  of  age;  and 
such  was  correspondingly  true  in  the  case  of  the  non- 
graduates. 

With  282  graduates  of  West  Point,  and  innumerable 
militia  officers  already  in  the  service  of  the  various 
States,  and  himdreds  of  politicians  clamoring  for  pre- 
ferment, it  is  readily  understood  why  there  were  com- 
paratively so  few  general  officers  among  the  graduates 
of  the  Institute  up  to  1861.  Throughout  the  war,  there 
were  but  twenty  actually  commissioned,  in  the  C.  S.  A., 
and  the  reason  is  very  clear.  Before  the  original  ap- 
pointees were  killed  off,  or  otherwise  eliminated,  200  or 
more  graduates,  including  over  50  of  the  original  field- 
officers,  who  would  in  the  natural  course  of  events  have 
received  high  promotion,  had  been  killed  in  battle,  leav- 
ing out  about  200  graduates  past  the  age  of  twenty-five, 
and  about  fifty  past  the  age  of  thirty  years.  Had  the 
war  continued  several  years  longer  than  it  did,  large 
numbers  of  the  youthful  field-officers  in  1864  would 
have  become  general  officers,  because  the  supply  of 
West  Pointers  had  been  entirely  cut  off  since  1861,  and 
those  who  had  fallen  were  being  rapidly  replaced  by 
Institute  men  when  the  war  closed. 

After  Gettysburg,  the  main  pressure  was  exerted  by 
the  Federals  in  eastern  Virginia,  for  Lincoln,  failing 
to  perceive  that  the  main  hostile  army  was  his  true  ob- 
jective, persisted  in  his  effort  to  seize  the  capital  of  his 
enemy.  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  since  the  Federals 
would  not  follow  up  Lee,  for  Lee  to  constantly  inter- 
pose his  army  between  them  and  Riclmiond.  But, 
meanwhile.  Federal  troops  were  kept  in  West  Virginia, 
threatening  at  all  times  to  press  in  upon  the  Confederate 
rear. 

It  is  fortunate  for  the  South  (or  unfortunate,  if  we 
choose  now  to  consider  a  speedier  termination  of  the 
war  to  have  been  desirable),  that  Grant,  the  Charles 
Martel  of  the  North,  was  not  placed  in  command  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  immediately  after  Gettysburg, 
instead  of  in  Februarv,  1864;  for,  had  he  then  com- 


254  The  Military  History  of 

menced  to  grapple  with  Lee,  while  the  active  Sheridan 
operated  in  the  valley,  it  seems  almost  certain  the  long- 
drawn-out  war  would  have  ended,  one  way  or  the  other, 
before  April,  1865.  Had  Lee  defeated  Grant  in  1863, 
or  early  in  1864,  the  peace  party  of  the  North  would 
probably  have  triumphed.  Had  Grant  commenced  his 
operations  a  year  earlier,  even  attaining  the  same  re- 
sults he  did  in  1864,  the  surrender  would  have  occurred 
at  an  earlier  date. 

Averell,  however,  was  not  Sheridan ;  nor  was  the  force 
placed  at  his  disposal  adequate  to  accomphsh  decisive 
results.  He  was  more  of  an  annoyance  than  a  real 
enemy.  But  Lincoln  and  Halleck  kept  him  galloping 
back  and  forth,  frittering  away  good  men  and  horses 
in  fruitless  expeditions,  instead  of  pursuing,  with  all  the 
strength  they  could  muster,  a  comprehensive  plan  to 
crush  the  Confederate  forces  in  Virginia. 

By  the  middle  of  October,  General  Averell  had  as- 
sembled 5,000  men  at  Huttonsville,  West  Virginia, 
from  which  point  he  again  threatened  the  upper  Valley. 
So  obvious  were  his  intentions  to  set  out  on  another  raid, 
that  on  October  17th,  Colonel  Nadenbousch,  still  in 
command  at  Staunton,  notified  General  Imboden,  com- 
manding the  Valley  District,  of  the  danger.  Imboden 
was  at  the  time  moving  on  Charles  Town,  which  he  sur- 
prised and  recaptured  the  next  day,  but  with  the  in- 
tention of  moving  up  the  valley  himself  as  soon  as 
possible  to  cooperate  with  General  Samuel  Jones,  of 
the  Western  District,  in  driving  back  Averell. 

Averell' s  threatened  raid  into  Virginia  was  post- 
poned, for  one  reason  or  another,  imtil,  under  date  of 
October  26th,  he  received  specific  orders  to  proceed  to 
Lewisburg,  in  Greenbrier  County,  West  Virginia,  and 
to  attack  and  capture,  or  drive  away,  the  Confederate 
force  there  assembled  under  Colonel  William  L.  Jack- 
son.* After  accomplishing  this  task,  he  was  directed 
to  leave  his  infantry  at  Lewisburg  and  push  on  to 
Union,  in  Monroe  County,  and  thence  to  New  River, 

*"MudwaU"  Jackson,  a  cousin  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  The  sobriquet  here 
given  him  simply  to  avoid  confusion.     He  was  a  gallant  and  enterprising  officer. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  255 

where  he  was  to  destroy  the  bridge  of  the  Virginia  and 
Tennessee  Railroad. 

Pursuant  to  these  orders,  Averell  left  Beverly  No- 
vember 1st,  with  two  regiments  of  infantry,  three  regi- 
ments of  moimted  infantrjs  one  regiment  of  cavalry, 
and  four  batteries  of  artillery. 

Moving  along  the  Staunton  pike  to  Greenbrier 
Bridge,  Averell' s  command  reached  Hunters ville,  in 
Pocahontas  County  (a  point  about  25  miles  west  of 
Warm  Springs,  Virginia)  at  noon,  on  the  4th,  where, 
learning  that  a  force  of  about  600  Confederates,  under 
Colonel  Thompson,  were  at  Marling's  Bottom,  he  im- 
mediately took  steps  to  cut  it  off  from  Lewisburg. 
Colonel  Thompson,  however,  retired  toward  Mill  Point, 
and  effected  a  junction  with  the  other  troops  of  Jack- 
son's command,  which  retired  rapidly  to  the  summit 
of  Droop  Mountain  where,  about  4,000  strong,  it  took 
up  a  strong  defensive  position  across  the  main  road  to 
Lewisburg,  20  miles  distant. 

On  the  evening  of  the  4th,  General  Imboden  was  in- 
formed of  Averell's  movement  through  Huntersville, 
and,  at  daybreak  on  the  5th,  left  his  camp  near  Bridge- 
water,  and  moved  to  Buffalo  Gap. 

During  the  late  afternoon  of  the  5th  of  November, 
rumors  sifted  into  Lexington  by  the  invisible  wire  that 
Avei-ell  with  7,000  men  was  between  Jackson's  force 
and  Warm  Springs,  and  about  7  p.  m.  a  courier  arrived 
from  Colonel  Jackson  requesting  that  the  Corps  of 
Cadets  and  Home  Guards  be  sent  at  once  to  his  support. 

Immediately,  Colonel  Massie  summoned  the  Home 
Guard  companies  of  the  county,  in  the  organization  of 
which  he  had  exhibited  the  utmost  zeal  and  efficiency, 
to  assemble;  and  the  following  order  was  issued  by  the 
Superintendent  of  the  Institute : 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"November  5,  1868. 

"Special  Orders — No.  212. 

"I.  Intelligence  having  been  received  that  the  enemy  in  strong 
force  are  again  threatening  this  County,  the  Superintendent  deems 


256  The  Military  History  of 

it  his  duty^  under  the  orders  of  the  Governor,  to  make  use  of  every 
available  man  of  this  Institution  as  an  auxiliary  force  to  repel  this 
invasion,  and  to  place  them  in  position  without  delay,  at  or  near 
California  Furnace. 

"II.  The  Commandant  of  Cadets,  Lt.-Col.  Shipp,  will  imme- 
diately make  details  of  detachments  of  cadets  to  man  two  or  four 
pieces  of  artillery,  as  he  may  deem  expedient,  and  organize  com- 
panies of  cadets  as  an  infantry  support,  and  he  will  take  command 
in  person,  and  march  without  delay  to  California  Furnace,  and 
place  himself  in  communication  with  the  officer  commanding  the 
Confederate  forces  in  that  vicinity,  and  give  such  support  to  him 
as  may  be  required  by  existing  exigencies,  and  to  the  extent  em- 
braced in  the  general  instructions  from  the  Governor  of  Virginia, 
as  communicated  to  the  command.  He  will  make  a  detail  of  officers 
and  cadets  as  a  Guard  to  the  Institute. 

"III.  The  Commissary  will  supply  cooked  rations  for  two 
days  for  the  command,  and  additional  uncooked  rations  for  five 
days.     He  will  report  to  Lt.-Col.  Shipp  for  orders. 

"IV.  The  Quartermaster  of  the  Confederate  States  will  supply 
transportation  and  horses  by  order  of  the  Commandant  of  the  Post 
of  Lexington. 

"V.  The  Surgeon  will  make  all  necessary  provision  for  the 
care  of  the  sick  and  disabled. 

"VI.  The  solemn  responsibility  which  withdraws  the  Corps  of 
Cadets  from  their  regular  duties  is  an  appeal  to  that  patriotism 
which  burns  in  every  Southern  heart.  The  Superintendent  con- 
fidently relies  upon  the  courage  and  fidelity  of  this  command,  in 
all  the  duty  to  which  they  may  be  called.  He  shares  their  dangers 
and  their  hardships  with  them,  and  he  trusts  they  may  soon  be 
privileged  to  return  to  their  post  of  duty. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"J.  H.  Morrison, 

"A.  A.,  V.  M.  I." 

The  entire  night  following  the  publication  of  this 
order  was  spent  preparing  for  the  march,  and  at  day- 
break the  Corps  of  Cadets,  four  companies,  with  the 
rifled  section  of  artillery,  225  strong,  the  whole  com- 
manded by  the  Commandant,  and  the  artillery  by  Lieu- 
tenant T.  H.  Smith,  set  out  for  California  Furnace, 
followed  by  Colonel  Massie  with  about  575  men  of  the 
Home  Guard. 

The  command  reached  the  furnace  (which  is  about 
three  miles  south  of  Rockbridge  Alum  Springs),  dur- 


MAJOR   THOMAS   JONATHAN   JACKSON 

'UOIKSSdR.     IXSTErCTOl!     OF     AltTI  I.I.EUY     TACTICS     1850-1863 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  257 

ing  the  late  afternoon,  after  a  march  of  seventeen  miles, 
and  went  into  bivouac  for  the  night.  Meanwhile,  efforts 
were  being  made  to  get  into  communication  with  the 
Confederate  forces;  but  for  the  time  being  California 
Furnace  was  safe. 

That  morning,  with  about  600  men  and  a  section  of 
artillery,  General  Imboden  moved  through  Goshen 
and  halted  for  the  night  at  Bratton's  in  Bath  County, 
some  ten  miles  north  of  CaHfornia  Furnace. 

During  the  morning,  Averell  had  attacked  Jackson's 
force,  and  at  3  P.  M.  succeeded  in  driving  it  from  its 
position  on  Droop  Mountain,  in  Greenbrier  County, 
West  Virginia,  about  thirty  miles  west  of  Bratton's  and 
California  Furnace. 

Imboden  resumed  his  march  at  dawn  on  the  7th,  and, 
moving  westward  along  the  Huntersville  road,  passed 
through  Warm  Springs  at  1  p.  m.,  where  he  was  in- 
formed of  the  battle  between  Jackson  and  Averell,  the 
preceding  day.  Learning  also  that  the  Confederates 
(badly  defeated)  had  fallen  back  through  Lewisburg 
towards  Monroe,  and  that  Averell,  who  had  been  re- 
enforced  by  General  DufRe  at  Lewisburg  with  four 
regiments  and  some  artillery,  was  pursuing,  he  re- 
solved to  fall  upon  the  Federal  rear.  With  that  object 
in  view,  he  now  changed  his  course  down  Jackson's 
River  toward  Covington,  after  sending  orders  to 
Colonels  Shipp  and  Massie  (whom  he  believed  to  be 
at  Millboro),  to  march  at  once  to  Clifton  Forge,  and 
there  unite  with  him. 

Leaving  their  camp  about  noon  on  the  7th,  the  Corps 
and  Home  Guard  marched  along  the  direct  road  from 
California  Furnace  to  Clifton  Forge,  which  follows  the 
valley  running  due  southwest  along  the  border  of  Alle- 
ghany and  Rockbridge  counties.  That  night  those 
commands,  after  paralleling  Imboden's  route  some 
miles  to  the  west,  bivouacked  half  a  mile  north  of  the 
Lucy  Salina  (now  called  the  Longdale)  Furnace,  hav- 
ing marched  about  ten  miles.  The  next  day,  Sunday, 
the  8th,  they  marched  nine  miles  to  Clifton  Forge,  go- 


17 


258  The  Military  History  of 

ing  into  Camp  oh  the  banks  of  Jackson's  River,  thirteen 
miles  distant  from  Imboden  who  had  reached  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Covington.  After  midnight,  Imboden 
dispatched  orders  to  Colonel  Massie  and  General  Smith 
(the  latter,  with  Colonel  Preston,  having  joined  the 
cadets  at  Clifton  Forge) ,  to  move  forward  to  Covington 
at  daybreak. 

That  morning,  Averell,  had  set  out  for  Dublin,  but 
was  compelled  to  order  Duffie's  command  back  to 
Meadow  Bluff,  because  of  its  complete  exhaustion,  and 
to  dispatch  two  regiments  of  infantry  and  a  battery 
back  to  Beverty  with  his  wounded,  prisoners,  and 
captured  property.  With  his  mounted  men  and  a 
battery,  he  then  pressed  on  through  White  Sulphur 
Springs  to  the  neighborhood  of  Callaghan's  where,  on 
the  morning  of  the  9th,  he  was  informed  that  Imboden 
with  a  force  of  from  900  to  1,500  men  was  at  Covington, 
on  his  way  to  reinforce  Echol's  at  Union,  and  that  large 
reinforcements  from  Lee's  Army  were  near  at  hand. 
He,  therefore,  dispatched  two  squadrons  of  the  8th 
West  Virginia  Mounted  Infantry,  under  Major  Slack, 
to  drive  Imboden  from  his  line  of  march. 

Imboden,  with  his  own  command,  had  taken  up  a 
position  on  the  crest  of  a  mountain  one  and  a  half  miles 
west  of  Covington;  and  when  the  two  Federal 
squadrons  (about  400  strong)  had  driven  in  his  pickets 
and  approached  to  within  1,200  yards  of  his  position,  he 
opened  on  them  with  his  two  guns,  and  then  sent  for- 
ward two  troops  of  cavalry  to  strike  the  enemy  while 
scattered.  The  Federals  retreated  rapidly  to  Callag- 
han's where  they  rejoined  the  main  column,  over  3,000 
strong,  and  moved  ofP  with  it. 

As  soon  as  Imboden  learned  that  Averell  had  with 
him  a  battery  of  seven  pieces  of  artillery,  and  believing 
that  he  would  attack  in  earnest,  he  withdrew  to  a  very 
strong  position  on  a  hill  one  mile  east  of  Covington, 
aftei-  sending  orders  to  Colonels  Shipp  and  Massie  to 
hurry  up  to  the  new  position  where  he  intended  to  give 
battle. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  259 

Leaving  their  bivouacs  at  daybreak  on  the  9th,  the 
Corps  of  Cadets  and  the  Home  Guard  joined  Imboden 
in  his  nevr  position  soon  after  he  had  occupied  it.  and 
were  deployed  in  hne  of  battle.  Colonel  Shipp  care- 
fully placed  the  guns  in  position;  but,  in  spite  of  much 
random  firing  in  their  front,  neither  the  cadets,  nor  any 
part  of  Imboden's  force,  were  engaged. 

How  anxiously  the  young  soldiers  peered  over  the 
fence  rails  piled  up  into  a  rude  protection;  how  they 
longed  for  just  one  chance  to  fire  upon  the  enemy, — 
only  those  present  will  ever  know;  but  again  they  were 
doomed  to  be  disappointed,  for  soon  the  Cavalry 
pickets  reported  that  Averell  had  left  the  Warm 
Springs  road,  and  moved  off  toward  Huntersville. 

Believing  that  this  might  be  a  ruse  on  the  enemy's 
part,  and  that  he  might  swing  around  Warm  Springs 
to  Millboro,  and  thence  to  Lexington,  Imboden,  with 
his  own  command,  set  out  from  Clifton  Forge  to 
Goshen,  sending  out  scouts  to  watch  Averell's  move- 
ments, and  dismissing  the  Lexington  forces  about  noon 
on  the  9th. 

At  Goshen,  which  point  he  reached  after  a  march  of 
40  miles  in  little  over  24  hours,  Imboden  learned  from 
his  scouts  that  Averell  had  moved  rapidly  northward  by 
Gatewood's,  along  the  Back  Creek  Road,  with  a  part 
of  his  force,  the  main  body  proceeding  via  Hightown, 
and  a  single  regiment  via  Monterey.  All  danger  was, 
therefore,  apparently  over;  but  on  the  11th  he  moved 
to  Buffalo  Gap.  Upon  arriving  there  he  ascertained 
that  a  fresh  force  of  800  men  from  Petersburg  would 
form  a  junction  that  evening  with  Averell  at  Monterey, 
or  Hightown ;  but,  instead  of  moving  toward  Staunton, 
Averell  ordered  Colonel  Thorburn's  reinforcements 
back  to  Petersburg,  and  proceeded  himself  to  New 
Creek,  where  he  arrived  on  the  17th.* 

Although  Imboden  inflicted  no  appreciable  damage 
on  the  enemy,  his  prompt  movements,  after  learning 
of  Jackson's  and  Echols's  defeat,  undoubtedly  saved  the 

•Rebellion  Records,  Series  I.  Vol.  XXIX,  pp.  498-549. 


260  The  Military  History  of 

six  or  eight  blast  furnaces  in  the  western  parts  of  Rock- 
bridge and  Botetourt  counties  from  destruction, 
plants  which  at  the  time  were  of  incalculable  value  to 
the  Confederate  Bureau  of  Ordnance.  Without  the 
support  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets  and  the  Home  Guard, 
he  would  never  have  attempted  the  movements  he 
actually  undertook,  for  it  was  his  knowledge  of  their 
presence  that  enabled  him  to  make  the  threat  on 
Averell's  rear,  the  morning  of  the  9th,  causing  him  to 
withdraw,  for  fear  of  the  large  force  on  his  line  of  re- 
treat. 

Averell  had  been  informed  that  heavy  reinforcements 
were  being  dispatched  by  General  Lee  to  Imboden,  and 
seems  to  have  been  misled  into  believing  that  the  cadets 
and  Home  Guard  were  the  advance  of  such  reinforce- 
ments. Thus,  they  not  only  emboldened  Imboden  to 
show  fight  across  Averell's  path,  but  served  a  better 
purpose  in  causing  the  latter  to  retreat  precipitately. 

The  Corps  of  Cadets  and  Home  Guard  reached  Lex- 
ington, via  direct  road,  late  on  the  11th,  and,  says  Mrs. 
Preston  in  her  diary,  "Everybody  expected  a  fight,  and 
I  think  there  was  general  disappointment  that  there  was 
only  a  skirmish.  For  the  present,  the  forces  (cadets 
and  Home  Guard)  have  returned,  and  gone  to  their 
homes;  with  the  expectation,  however,  that  an^^  time 
they  may  be  recalled."* 

The  11th  of  November,  the  day  upon  which  the  Corps 
of  Cadets  returned,  was  the  24th  anniversary  of  the 
founding  of  the  Institute.  How  well  had  been  fulfilled 
the  expectations  of  those  devoted  men  who  assembled 
in  Lexington  to  cast  Virginia's  flag  to  the  breeze  over 
the  infant  School  of  Arms,  November  11,  1839!  Within 
a  quarter  of  a  century,  the  very  anniversary  of 
Founder's  Day  was  to  see  the  Corps  of  Cadets  actually 
in  the  field  defending  the  Arsenal,  which  it  had  been 
created  to  guard. 

♦Life  and  Letters  of  Margaret  Junkin  Preston,  by  Elizabeth  Preston  Allan, 
p.  171.  This  book  contains  many  interesting  and  contemporaneous  letters 
irom   which  many   facts   concerning   the   cadets   have   been   ascertained. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  261 

General  Smith  had  preceded  the  Corps  to  Lexington, 
and,  before  it  arrived,  pubhshed  the  following  order: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"November  11,  1863. 

"General  Orders — No.  88. 

"I.  This  day  is  the  anniversary  of  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute.  Twenty-four  years  have  rolled  away  since  the  proud 
Flag  of  Virginia  was  first  waved  over  the  Corps  of  Cadets.  What 
an  eventful  period  do  these  years  embrace !  This  anniversary, 
unlike  those  which  have  preceded  it,  finds  the  cadets  in  the  field, 
enduring  the  hardships  of  an  arduous  march,  in  aid  of  efforts  to 
repel  an  unscrupulous  and  relentless  foe.  This  duty  has  been 
patiently  and  cheerfully  discharged  in  the  midst  of  privations  and 
discomforts  which  a  veteran  might  even  shrink  from,  and  a  spirit 
has  been  exhibited  by  the  Corps  of  Cadets  which  reflects  the 
highest  honor  upon  themselves,  and  upon  the  accomplished  oflScer 
who  has  the  high  responsibility  of  their  command  (Lieut.-Colonel 
Scott  Shipp).  The  Superintendent  returns  his  thanks  to  the 
officers  and  cadets  for  the  prompt  and  faithful  discharge  of  duty 
in  the  expedition,  and  it  will  be  his  pleasure,  as  well  as  duty,  to 
communicate  a  report  of  their  conduct  to  his  Excellency,  the 
Governor. 

"II.  The  Anniversary  Celebration  designed  for  the  day  will 
be  observed  to-morrow,  and  a  salute  of  ten  guns  will  be  fired  at 
6:30  A.  M.,  under  the  direction  of  the  Commandant  of  Cadets. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"J.  H.  Morrison, 

"A.  A.,  V.  M.  I." 

November  12th  was  a  day  of  rest,  but  the  experiences 
of  the  past  few  days  had  shown  the  Commandant  the 
necessity  of  familiarizing  the  Corps  with  the  new  arms. 
Accordingly,  academic  duty  was  suspended  on  the  13th, 
and  the  day  was  devoted  to  the  needed  instruction. 

On  the  21st,  the  following  order  was  received  and 
published  at  the  Institute: 

"Headquarters,  Valley  District, 

"SiMwiLLis  Creek,  Rockingham  Co.,  Va., 

"November  18,  1863. 

"General  Orders — No.  12. 

"The  General  commanding  the  Military  District  takes  great 
pleasure  in  announcing  that  in  his  recent  expedition  with  a  detach- 


262  The  Military  History  of 

ment  of  his  command  to  Covington,  in  Alleghany  County,  to  resist 
the  large  raiding  forces  of  the  enemy,  should  they  attempt  to 
penetrate  the  Valley,  or  reach  important  public  works  in  that 
section  of  the  State,  he  was  most  opportunely  and  efficiently  sup- 
ported by  the  Corps  of  Cadets  from  the  Virginia  Military  Institute, 
under  the  command  of  the  accomplished  Superintendent,  Major- 
General  Francis  H.  Smith,  and  the  'Rockbridge  Home  Guard,' 
under  the  command  of  that  gallant  and  tried  soldier,  Colonel 
James  W.  Massie.  Information  of  the  movements  of  the  enemy 
through  Pocahontas  was  not  received  in  Lexington  until  7  p.  m.  on 
the  5th  inst.,  when  with  a  promptitude  that  reflects  the  highest 
honor  on  the  Institute  and  the  noble  people  of  Rockbridge,  the 
whole  night  was  spent  in  preparing  for  the  field,  and  by  the  follow- 
ing evening  800  patriotic  men  and  youths,  under  the  leadership  of 
brave  and  skillful  officers,  were  many  miles  on  their  dreary  march 
into  the  mountains  to  meet  the  advancing  columns  of  the  enemy. 
Owing  to  the  rapidity  of  our  own  movements,  the  uncertainty  of 
the  enemy's  object,  and  the  difficulty  of  frequent  communication 
between  us,  General  Smith  and  Colonel  Massie  had  to  rely  mainly 
upon  their  own  judgment  in  selecting  their  line  of  march,  so  as  to 
gain  the  point  of  probable  attack,  which  they  accomplished  with 
the  most  perfect  success,  and  with  a  celerity  not  surpassed  during 
the  war,  even  by  the  veterans  of  the  Confederacy.  They  were  in 
ample  time  to  have  taken  part  in  the  general  engagement  which 
seemed  imminent  at  Covington  on  Monday  the  9th  inst. 

"It  is  a  most  pleasing  duty  to  acknowledge  gratefully  the 
spontaneous  volunteer  movement  from  the  glorious  old  County  of 
Rockbridge,  and  from  that  Institution  in  her  midst  which  has 
contributed  so  largely  to  the  national  defense,  in  the  number  of 
accomplished  officers  in  our  Army  educated  within  its  walls. 

"All  honor  to  the  brave  men  and  chivalrous  youths  who  so 
gallantly  came  to  our  assistance!  If  every  County  in  this  Military 
District  will  emulate  the  example  here  set  them,  the  Commanding 
General  will  never  have  occasion  to  call  on  General  Lee  for  aid  to 
repel  any  probable  invasion  of  the  interior  of  this  beautiful  valley, 
that  may  hereafter  be  attempted  by  the  marauding  bands  that  hang 
upon  its  borders.  Here,  at  home,  we  shall  have,  ever  ready,  a 
bulwark  of  defense  in  those,  who,  like  the  800  of  Rockbridge  and 
the  Institute,  will  fly  to  the  rendezvous  at  the  first  sound  of  the 
tocsin,  or  blaze  of  the  signal  on  the  summit  of  their  own  blue 
mountains. 

"By  command  of  J.  D.  Imboden,  Brigadier-General  commanding, 

"F.  B.  Berkeley, 

"Captain  and  A.  A. -General." 


The  Vibginia  Military  Institute  263 

In  his  official  report  of  these  operations,  General 
Imboden  savs: 

"I  beg  leave  to  add  my  testimony  to  the  admirable  spirit  dis- 
played by  the  people  of  Rockbridge  in  coming  to  my  assistance. 
At  7  p.  M.  on  Thursday,  the  6th  (5th),  the  news  reached  Lexington 
of  this  raid.  By  7  p.  m.,  the  next  day,  800  men  were  twelve  miles 
on  their  march  to  support  me.  My  thanks  are  especially  due 
Colonel  J.  W.  Massie,  Commanding  Home  Guards,  and  General 
F.  H.  Smith,  Commanding  Cadets,  for  the  energy  and  zeal  they 
manifested  and  the  skill  with  which  they  moved  their  commands  so 
rapidly  through  the  mountains." 


264  The  Military  History  of 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

AVERELL^S    THIRD    RAID CADETS    CALLED    OUT    AGAIN 

A  WEEK  OF  SEVERE  FIELD  SERVICE 

The  results  accomplished  by  Averell  in  November, 
1863,  evidently  did  not  fulfill  the  expectations  of  Wash- 
ington; for  he  had  hardly  reached  his  base  at  New 
Creek,  West  Virginia,  when  he  was  informed  that  his 
command  would  be  required  to  take  the  field  again,  at 
an  early  date. 

December  6th,  Averell  received  instructions  from  the 
Department  Commander  to  proceed  on  the  8th  via 
Petersburg,  Franklin,  and  Monterey  to  the  Virginia 
and  Tennessee  Railroad  at  Bonsack's  Station,  in  Bote- 
tourt County,  or  to  Salem,  in  Roanoke  County;  or,  by 
dividing  his  command,  to  both  points,  and  to  destroy 
all  the  bridges,  water  stations,  depots,  and  as  much  of 
the  roadbed  and  track  in  those  localities  as  possible. 
After  accomplishing  his  task,  he  was  directed  to  return 
to  the  line  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  between 
New  Creek  and  Harper's  Ferry.* 

Pursuant  to  these  most  definite  instructions,  Averell's 
plan  for  their  execution  contemplated  the  presence  of 
Brigadier-General  Scammon  with  the  Kanawha  Valley 
forces  at  Lewisburg,  on  December  12th,  for  the  purpose 
of  intercepting  any  Confederate  force  moving  upon  the 
rear  of  the  raiding  column  from  the  north.  A  small 
force  was  also  to  reach  Marling's  Bottom  on  the  11th, 
to  feint  against  the  Confederates  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Lewisburg.  Brigadier-General  Sullivan,  command- 
ing the  forces  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  was  to  assume 
active  operations  on  the  11th,  while  Colonel  Thorburn's 
command  was  to  move  forward  from  Monterey  toward 
Staunton,  with  a  view  to  keeping  the  enemy's  attention 
fixed  on  the  Parkersburg  pike. 

•Rebellion  Record,   Series  I,  Vol.   XXIX,  Part  1,   p.  933. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  265 

It  was  thought  by  Averell  that  the  demonstrations 
of  the  Kanawha  and  Shenandoah  commands  would  en- 
able him  to  pass  southward  without  difficulty,  and  that 
the  operations  ordered  in  the  direction  of  Lewisburg 
and  Union,  if  conducted  with  vigor,  would  divert  op- 
position to  the  return  of  his  own  wearied  column. 

Leaving  New  Creek  at  dawn,  December  8th,  with 
three  regiments  of  mounted  infantry,  a  regiment  and  a 
half  of  cavalry,  and  one  battery  of  artillery,  Averell 
reached  Petersburg  on  the  10th  where  he  was  joined 
by  Colonel  Thorburn's  command  of  700  mounted  men. 
Arriving  at  Monterey  on  the  11th,  Colonel  Thorburn 
proceeded  towards  McDowell,  and  Averell's  column 
resumed  its  march  on  the  12th  down  Back  Creek. 

The  storm  continued  unabated  throughout  the  next 
four  days,  so  that  Averell  found  Jackson's  River  im- 
fordable,  when  he  arrived  at  Callaghan's  in  Alleghany 
County,  on  the  14th.  At  that  point  he  learned  that 
Scammon  had  successfully  occupied  Lewisburg,  and 
that  the  small  Confederate  brigade  under  Echols  had 
fallen  back  upon  Union,  under  orders  from  Major- 
General  Samuel  Jones. 

On  the  12th,  Jones,  the  Department  Commander,  had 
received  information  from  Echols  and  Jackson  that  the 
enemy  was  moving  from  the  Kanawha  and  Beverly  on 
Lewisburg ;  and,  having  directed  Echols  to  fall  back  be- 
hind the  Greenbrier  River,  he  ordered  McCausland  who 
was  at  the  Narrows  with  his  brigade  to  unite  with 
Echols,  and  telegraphed  Colonel  Jackson  to  proceed  to 
Callaghan's.  At  the  same  time,  he  called  upon  General 
Lee  for  support. 

On  the  night  of  the  14th,  Echols  and  McCausland 
formed  a  junction  near  Union. 

Major-General  Fitz  Lee's  Cavalry  Division  had  by 
good  fortune  left  the  army  on  the  Rapidan  on  the  11th, 
and  arrived  in  Charlottesville  on  the  12th,  with  the  in- 
tention of  going  into  winter  quarters  there.  On  the 
12th,  two  brigades  of  this  command,  under  Fitz  Lee 
himself,  were  dispatched  to  the  Valley  to  interpose  be- 


266  The  Military  History  of 

tweeii  the  enemy  and  Staunton,  arriving  at  Mount 
Crawford,  via  Brown's  Gap,  the  morning  of  the  15th. 
Finding  Sulhvan  inactive  at  Strasburg,  he  turned  up 
the  Valley  to  assist  Imboden,  who  was  confronting  the 
enemy  at  Shenandoah  Mountain,  six  miles  from 
Staunton.  That  night,  Major-General  Early  arrived 
at  Stamiton,  and  assumed  command. 

Late  on  the  14th,  news  had  reached  Lexington  of 
Averell's  movements,  and  again  the  Superintendent  and 
Colonel  Massie  took  prompt  steps  to  aid  in  the  defense 
of  the  County. 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"December  11,  1863. 
"Special  Orders — No.  242. 

"I.  Intelligence  having  been  received  that  the  enemy  in  strong 
force  are  again  threatening  this  County,  the  Superintendent  deems, 
it  his  duty,  under  the  orders  of  the  Governor,  to  make  use  of  every 
available  man  of  this  Institution,  as  an  auxiliary  force  to  repel  this 
invasion,  and  to  place  them  in  position  without  delay,  at  or  near 
Goshen,  Virginia. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"J.  H.  Morrison, 

"A.  A.,  V.  M.  I." 

Leaving  Lexington  at  dawn  on  the  15th,  the  Corps 
of  Cadets,  four  companies,  and  the  section  of  rifled  field 
guns,  180  strong,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott  Shipp, 
commanding,  followed,  as  before,  by  Colonel  Massie 
and  the  Home  Guard,  bivouacked  that  night  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  short  of  Rockbridge  Baths. 

At  2  A.  M.  that  morning  Averell  had  resumed  his 
march,  arriving  at  Sweet  Springs  during  the  forenoon. 
There  he  learned  that  Scammon  had  retired  from  Lewis- 
burg  and  that  Echols's  Brigade  was  near  Union.  Re- 
suming his  march  at  1  p.  m.,  he  passed  through  New 
Castle  during  the  night,  after  sending  out  a  squadron 
towards  Fincastle  for  the  purpose  of  deceiving  the 
enemy,  and  arrived  within  four  miles  of  Salem  at  day- 
break of  the  16th.     There,  he  first  learned  of  Fitz  Lee's 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  267 

movement  from  Charlottesville  to  intercept  his  return 
march. 

December  16th  the  Corps  of  Cadets  proceeded  to 
Bratton's  Rmi,  which  they  found  practically  impassable, 
and  camped  on  its  banks  with  the  Home  Guard  that 
night.  Late  that  night,  Early  ordered  Fitz  Lee  to  pur- 
sue Averell  with  all  haste,  while  Jones,  who  had  learned 
of  Averell's  presence  at  Salem,  ordered  Colonel  Jackson 
to  take  up  a  good  position  near  Clifton  Forge,  while 
Echols  was  directed  to  occupy  one  on  the  mountain  near 
Sweet  Springs,  with  a  view  to  cutting  Averell  off. 

On  the  17th,  Colonel  Massie,  who  was  near  Goshen 
with  the  Home  Guard,  received  by  courier  the  following 
communication  :* 

"Buffalo  Gap, 

"December  17,  1863. 

"Col.  J.  W.  Massie, 

"Commanding  Forces. 

"Col. — Major-General  Early  directs  that  you  proceed  to  Lex- 
ington at  once  to  protect  that  place.  Send  your  mounted  men 
rapidly.  Gen.  Imboden  is  moving  on  Lexington  from  this  place, 
and  you  will  communicate  with  him  on  the  Brownsburg  road. 
Major-General  Fitz  Lee  is  also  moving  from  Staunton  on 
Lexington. 

"Averell  has  reached  Salem  on  the  Virginia  and  Tennessee  Rail- 
road, and  may  move  down  the  Valley. 

"Send  some  men  posthaste  to  the  bridge  over  Buffalo  Creek 
beyond  Lexington,  with  directions  to  scout  towards  Buchanan,  and 
burn  that  bridge  in  case  Averell  approaches. 

"I  am,  Colonel, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"A.  S.  Pendleton, 

"Lt.-Col.  and  A.  A.-G."** 

Marching  day  and  night  Fitz  Lee's  command  reached 
Lexington  before  noon  on  the  18th,  uniting  at  that 
point  with  Imboden  and  the  Home  Guard.  Colonel 
Massie  immediately  dispatched  a  large  patrol,  under 
Lieutenant  T.  Henderson  Smith  of  the  Institute,  in  the 
direction  of  Buchanan,  for  the  purpose  of  observing  the 

♦Rebellion  Records,  Series  I.  Vol.  XXII,  Part  1,  p.  962. 
**Frora  the  original  dispatch  in  Gen.   Shipp's  possession. 


268  The  Military  History  of 

enemy's  movements  in  that  direction,  and  to  destroy  the 
Pattonsburg  bridge  over  the  James,  and  the  one  over 
Buffalo  Creek,  if  necessary,  to  prevent  Averell  from 
reaching  Lexington. 

"December  16th.  Again  the  cadets  and  Home  Guard 
are  summoned  out ;  they  started  yesterday ;  and  Mr.  P. 
[Major  Preston]  went  early  this  morning.  It  is  a  cold, 
raw  day  and  they  will  find  marching  and  bivouacking 
in  the  open  air  very  disagreeable.  The  reports  are  the 
enemy  is  advancing  upon  the  Valley  from  four  points. 
When  will  these  alarms  cease?  I  am  in  despair  about 
the  war."  Such  is  the  contemporaneous  entry  in  the 
diary  of  Mrs.  Preston,  the  wife  of  Major  Preston  of  the 
Institute,  a  record  which  throws  much  light  on  these 
stirring  times.    And  again: 

"December  18th:  Went  on  the  street  to  hear  some 
news ;  found  that  a  dispatch  had  been  received  ordering 
a  body  of  men  to  go  on  to  Pattonsburg  to  burn  down 
the  fine  bridge  over  the  James  River,  to  prevent 
Averell's  escape;  Averell  is  at  Salem  with  4,000  men. 

"At  11  o'clock  Imboden's  cavalry  and  artillery  passed 
through.  It  is  the  first  time  I  have  seen  an  army.  Poor 
fellows!  with  their  broken-down  horses,  muddy  up  to 
the  eyes,  and  their  muddy  wallets  and  blankets,  they 
looked  like  an  army  of  tatterdemalions:  the  horses 
looked  starved.  Then  came  the  Home  Guard,  drenched 
and  muddy  as  if  they  had  seen  hard  service,  though  they 
had  only  been  out  four  days;  but  such  weather!  it  rained 
terribly,  the  rain  part  of  the  time  freezing  as  it  fell; 
and  they  were  out  in  it  all;  stood  round  their  fires  all 
night,  or  lay  down  in  the  puddles  of  water.  At  3  p.  m.. 
General  Fitzhugh  Lee's  cavalry  (2,700)  passed 
through.  Their  horses  were  in  better  condition ;  all  the 
men  in  both  divisions  looked  in  fine  spirits,  and  cheered 
vociferously  as  the  ladies  waved  scarfs  and  handker- 
chiefs on  their  passing.    People  brought  out  waiters  of 

eatables  to  the  poor  tired  men 

All  went  on  to  Collierstown  last  night.     Brother  W.* 

♦Rev.  William  F.  Junkin,  father  of  Mrs.  Nichols,  wife  of  the  present 
Superintendent   of   the   Institute. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  269 

is  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Home  Guard.  They  were 
all  sent  in  for  the  protection  of  Lexington  last  night,  it 
being  supposed  Averell  would  advance  upon  us  from 
Salem.    An  exciting  day  indeed. 

"At  night,  my  husband  came;  the  cadets  were  water- 
bound;  some  of  them  waded  to  their  waists  in  water, 
building  bridges  for  artillery.  Mr.  P.  says  he  saw  one 
marching  along  in  his  naked  feet.  This  is  a  glorious 
war! 

On  the  17th  before  Colonel  Massie  had  been  recalled, 
and  intelligence  of  the  enemy's  whereabouts  had  been 
received,  the  Commandant  determined  to  cross  Bratton's 
Run  which  had  foiled  his  passage  the  night  before.  By 
the  most  heroic  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  cadets,  the 
guns  and  baggage  wagons  were  finally  transferred,  and 
the  Corps  of  Cadets  pressed  on  to  Cold  Sulphur 
Springs,  where  it  bivouacked  that  night. 

Late  on  the  18th,  the  Commandant  received  the 
following  commimication  from  the  Superintendent: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"December  18.  1863. 
"12  M. 

"Lt.-Col.  S.  Shipp, 

"Commandant  of  Cadets. 

"Col. — As  you  might  have  anticipated,  the  heavy  rain  and  high 
water  delayed  my  joining  you  to-day. 

"Gen.  Fitz  Lee  is  now  here,  and  under  his  instructions  you  are 
directed,  as  soon  as  you  can  cross  Bratton's  Run,  to  march  with  the 
cadets  to  this  point,  with  the  view  of  moving  immediately  to 
Buchanan.  Gen.  Lee  marches  to-day  to  Clifton  Forge,  and  Coving- 
ton, and  hopes  to  intercept  the  line  of  retreat  of  Averell.  The 
object  is  to  place  the  cadets  at  Buchanan  with  the  line  of  scouts 
put  out  to  watch  the  movement  of  the  enemy,  and  in  the  event  of 
his  turning  back  from  the  road  by  which  he  entered  towards  Salem, 
under  the  apprehension  of  being  intercepted,  to  anticipate  his  effort 
to  come  down  the  Valley,  by  crossing  the  James  at  Buchanan. 

"Further  instructions  will  be  given  you  on  your  reaching  here. 
Inform  me  what  supplies  you  will  require,  for  it  may  be  necessary 
to  move  to  Buchanan  without  delay. 

"I  am,  Colonel, 

"Very  respectfully, 

"F.  H.  Smith. 


270  The  Military  History  of 

"Three  brigades  passed  here  to-day,  General  Wiekham,  General 
Iraboden,  and  one  other.  J.  W.  Massie  is  just  in.  The  bakery  is 
being  used  to  make  bread  for  General  I.ee's  command  which  it  was 
important  to  move  on  with  dispatch.  I  shall  not  be  able  to  send 
bread. 

"F.  H.  S."* 

Pursuant  to  this  dispatch,  the  Commandant  marched 
back  to  Wilson's  Spring  at  the  east  end  of  Goshen 
Pass,  and  bivouacked  there  the  night  of  the  18th. 

Averell  had  marched  the  last  eighty  miles  in  thirty 
hours;  and,  while  his  men  busied  themselves  on  the  16th 
destroying  depots,  railway  cars,  the  water  station,  turn- 
table, and  a  large  supply  of  bridge  timber  and  repairing 
material  at  Salem,  his  horses  were  allowed  to  rest. 
After  destroying  a  number  of  small  storehouses,  and 
cutting  and  destroying  the  telegraph  wires,  he  quitted 
his  work  about  4  P.  m.,  and  having  circulated  the  report 
that  he  would  return,  via  Buchanan,  he  turned  north 
along  Craig's  Creek,  arriving  at  New  Castle  at  dusk 
on  the  18th,  after  tremendous  exertions  and  many  diffi- 
culties in  fording  the  stream  at  the  many  points  it 
crossed  his  route,  especially  with  his  battery. 

That  night  Fitz  Lee  camped  at  Collierstown,  ten 
miles  west  of  Lexington,  en  rontc  with  Imboden  to 
Clifton  Forge,  and  there  received  a  dispatch  from 
Lynchburg  that  the  enemy  was  returning  to  Salem, 
and  begging  that  he  proceed  to  Buchanan. 

After  midnight,  the  Superintendent  wrote  the  Com- 
mandant, then  in  camp  at  Wilson's  Springs  on  the  re- 
turn march,  as  follows: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"1  o'clock  at  night, 

"December  18-19. 
"Lt.-Col.  S.  Shipp, 

"Commandant  of  Cadets. 

"Col. — Intelligence  has  just  reached  us  by  ray  returned  courier 
from  Buchanan,  that  the  enemy  had  been  delayed  in  re-crossing  the 
Craig  River,  by  the  freshets.  This  is  confirmed  by  another  courier 
from  General  Early.     A  courier  from  General  Lee  is  also  just  in, 

*Prom    the   original    in    General    Shipp's    possession. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  271 

with  dispatches  to  me  that  it  is  all  important  that  the  cadets  be 
pressed  on  to  Buchanan  as  rapidly  as  possible.  You  will  determine 
whether  this  can  best  be  done  by  a  night  march,  or  an  early  move- 
ment in  the  morning.  I  have  had  fifteen  extra  horses  impressed  to 
replace  such  as  may  be  broken  down,  and  have  had  meat  and  bread 
prepared — also  all  the  shoes  that  can  be  had.  General  Lee  was  at 
CoUierstown  on  his  way  to  Covington.  I  have  sent  two  couriers 
out  to-night  to  convey  the  intelligence,  just  in  from  Buchanan,  that 
our  forces  were  disputing  the  crossing  of  the  Craig  with  the  enemy. 
I  feel  greatly  gratified  at  the  noble  conduct  of  the  cadets,  and  I 
desire  that  you  will  make  this  known  to  them,  and  that  I  have 
communicated  your  dispatch  to  the  Adj.-Gen.,  that  the  Governor 
might  know  to  what  hardships  they  liad  been  exposed,  and  how 
cheerfullj^  they  have  borne  them,  and  asked  him  to  purchase  at  my 
cost  250  overcoats  and  pairs  of  shoes  to  be  sent  up  by  special 
messengers.  Gen.  Richardson  has  received  my  telegram  and 
answered  they  will  be  sent  up  immediately.  I  will  try  to  have 
every  comfort  ready  for  you  when  you  arrive. 
"I  am,  Colonel, 

"Very  respectfully, 

"F.  H.  Smith, 

"Superintendent."* 

Upon  reaching  New  Castle,  Averell  was  informed 
that  Fitz  Lee  was  at  Fincastle,  and  that  Jones  was  be- 
tween him  and  Sweet  Springs.  At  9  p.  m.,  he  moved 
out  in  the  direction  of  Fincastle  to  deceive  the  enemy, 
and  soon  changed  his  course  towards  Sweet  Springs. 
Before  midnight,  he  was  confronted  with  the  possibility 
of  having  to  fight  his  way  to  Sweet  Springs.  Two  ways 
were  now  open  to  him  to  avoid  a  contest.  He  might 
move  to  the  southwest,  around  Jones's  right,  through 
Monroe  and  Greenbrier  counties ;  the  other,  or  the  most 
direct,  way,  being  via  Covington  over  the  Fincastle  pike, 
which  route  he  took.  Marching  thirty  miles  through  the 
forest,  he  reached  the  Fincastle  pike,  fifteen  miles  from 
Covington,  about  noon  on  the  19th.  Upon  reaching  a 
point  eight  miles  from  Covington,  he  was  met  by  a  force 
of  300  Confederates  which  he  dispersed  and  followed  up 
so  closely  they  were  unable  to  destroy  the  bridges  over 
the  Jackson  River,  although  every  arrangement  had 
been   made   to  burn   them.      The   Federals,   therefore, 

*From   the  original   in   General    Shipp's  possession. 


272  The  Military  History  of 

were  able  to  cross  the  unf  ordable  stream  by  these  bridges 
about  9  p.  M.,  and  the  most  carefully  laid  plans  of  Early, 
Jones,  Imboden,  Echols,  McCausland,  Fitz  Lee,  and 
Jackson  to  cut  him  off,  were  frustrated. 

Averell  had  hardly  crossed  the  river  when  Jackson 
assailed  his  colunm  which  was  over  four  miles  long ;  but 
during  the  night  his  force  was  concentrated  at  Cal- 
laghan's,  and  the  bridges  were  destroyed  by  the  Federals 
to  check  pursuit.  This  left  a  single  regiment  on  the 
enemy's  side  of  the  river,  which,  upon  being  attacked, 
was  compelled  to  swim  the  stream.  At  this  point, 
Averell  managed  to  save  his  column,  with  the  loss  of 
but  124  officers  and  men  captured  and  a  few  killed  and 
wounded. 

Meanwhile,  Fitz  Lee  had  reached  a  point  between 
Buchanan  and  Fincastle,  believing  Averell  to  be  near 
Salem.  It  was  not  until  he  arrived  at  Fincastle,  on  the 
20th,  that  he  learned  of  Averell's  crossing  at  Covington, 
the  night  before,  whereupon,  he  iinmediately  took  up 
his  pursuit. 

Marching  early  on  the  19th,  the  Corps  of  Cadets 
reached  Lexington  during  the  afternoon,  after  an  ab- 
sence of  five  days,  and  at  once  preparations  were  mider- 
taken  for  an  early  start  on  the  20th  for  Buchanan. 
Starting  out  in  that  direction,  news  was  soon  received 
during  the  day  of  Averell's  crossing  at  Covington,  the 
night  before,  and  the  Commandant  was  directed  by 
Fitz  Lee  to  join  Colonel  Jackson's  force,  the  exact 
whereabouts  of  which  were  unknown  to  Colonel  Shipp. 
Accordingly,  he  dispatched  Lieutenant  Prince  to 
Clifton  Forge,  who  vainly  sought  to  locate  Jackson, 
throughout  the  day.  The  Corps  bivouacked  that  night 
at  the  furnace  eight  miles  from  Clifton  Forge,  and 
from  the  latter  point,  Prince  succeeded  in  opening  com- 
munications with  Colonel  Jackson.* 

"December  19th The  cadets  are  to  go 

to  Buchanan  to-morrow  morning.  The  weather  is 
bitterly  cold,  the  roads  very  bad  and  hard  frozen. 

♦Rebellion   Records,    Series   I,   Vol.   XXIX,    Part   1,   p.   966. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  273 

"Sunday,  December  20th.  An  order  from  Imboden 
for  the  cadets  to  march  to  Buchanan.  They  started 
this  morning.  Mr.  P.  [Major  Preston]  went  at  noon. 
A  very  cold  day."* 

Averell  marched  on  the  night  of  the  19th,  and  the 
following  day,  by  a  road  over  the  Alleghanies  to 
Anthony's  Creek  between  the  White  Sulphur  Springs 
and  Huntersville,  and  from  that  point  to  the  Green- 
brier which  he  reached  and  crossed  on  the  21st,  opposite 
Hillsborough,  camping  for  the  night  at  the  northern 
base  of  Droop  Mountain,  and  reached  Beverly  several 
days  later,  without  opposition. 

Fitz  Lee  reached  Covington  on  the  21st,  and,  after 
passing  Callaghan's,  learned  that  there  was  no  other 
force  in  Averell's  front,  so  turned  off  to  Warm  Springs, 
striking  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad  at  Goshen.  "For 
thirty  hours,"  wrote  Averell  in  his  report,  "after  my 
column  left  Callaghan's,  the  enemy  made  great  efforts 
to  intercept  my  force,  but  generally  took  wrong 
roads."** 

"December  21st:  Averell  has  escaped!  To-day 
Mr.  P.  [Major  Preston]  returned;  also  Eben;  all  are 
terribly  chagrined  at  the  escape  of  Averell. 

"December  24th:  The  Moncuresf  came  back  at 
night,  worn  out  with  their  bootless  marching.  They 
blame  E.  with  the  miscarriage  of  the  expedition  against 
Averell."! 

But  the  Moncures  were  not  the  only  ones  who  blamed 
General  Early  for  the  miscarriage  of  the  plan  to 
capture  Averell.  The  disposition  of  the  Confederates 
had  been  prompt  and  skillful.  Rosser's  brigade  had 
crossed  the  Rappahannock  at  Fredericksburg  on  the 
14th,  and,  passing  through  Ashby's  Gap,  had  succeeded 
in  cutting  off  the  column  from  Harper's  Ferry,  which 
Averell  had  expected  to  create  a  diversion  in  his  favor. 
Early's  division  had  left  Hanover  Junction  on  the  15th, 
arrived  at  Staunton  that  same  night,  marched  to  Buffalo 

♦Life  and  Letters  of  Margaret  Junkin  Preston.  Allan,  pp.  174-175. 
♦♦Rebellion  Records.   Series   L  Vol.   XXIX,   Part   1,   p.   931. 
1  James  Dunlap  and  Marshall  Ambler,  bi'others,  former  cadfets.  and  then  mem- 
bers of  Fitz  Lee's  Cavalry. 
±Mrs.   Preston's  Diarv'. 


18 


274  Tpie  Military  History  of 

Gap  the  ensuing  day,  thence  to  Warm  Sprmgs  and 
Millboro.  Fitz  Lee's  two  brigades  leaving  Charlottes- 
ville on  the  14th,  reached  Collierstown  on  the  18th,  and 
Fincastle  on  the  20th,  while  Imboden  had  moved  with 
great  dispatch  from  near  Staunton  to  the  neighborhood 
of  Lexington,  and  McCausland,  Jackson,  and  Echols 
had  been  quickly  thrown  by  Jones  across  Averell's 
homeward  path. 

The  whole  plan  seems  to  have  miscarried,  as  a  result 
of  the  false  reports  of  Averell's  presence  on  the  19th 
at  Buclianan,  which  point  his  main  column  never  ap- 
proached. The  inexperienced  Confederate  scouts  mis- 
took the  detachment  ordered  to  feint  in  that  direction 
for  the  main  body,  and  upon  such  imperfect  imforma- 
tion  Early  was  misled  into  ordering  Fitz  Lee  from 
Collierstown  to  Buchanan  on  the  night  of  the  18th, 
when  Averell  was  actually  on  his  way  back  from  Salem, 
via  New  Castle  and  Covington,  thus  paralleling  Fitz 
Lee's  route  in  an  opposite  direction. 

In  his  official  report,  Fitz  Lee  wrote,  "Had  my  march 
across  North  Mountain  not  been  changed  by  dispatches 
received,  and  the  conviction  that  if  I  interposed  between 
the  enemy  and  myself  a  stream  represented  as  likely  to 
be  impassable  for  some  days,  I  would  leave  the  route  by 
Buchanan  open  and  expose  Lexington,  or  enable  him 
to  retire  on  south  of  Virginia  and  Tennessee  Railroad, 
or  through  Giles  and  Monroe  counties,  without  moles- 
tation, I  should  have  arrived  at  Covington  three  hours 
ahead  of  him;  or  had  Colonel  Jackson  destroyed  the 
bridge  over  Jackson's  River,  or  interposed  any  ob- 
structions to  his  march,  Averell's  command  must  have 
been  captured. 

•  ••••••• 

"My  especial  thanks  are  due  to  General  F.  H.  Smith, 
of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  for  the  promptness 
with  which  he  moved  his  command,  and  the  eagerness 
he  evinced  for  the  capture  of  the  enemy."* 

Late  on  the  21st  the  Corps  of  Cadets  returned  to 
Lexington,  again  much  disappointed  by  the  failure  of 

♦Rebellion   Records,   Series  I,   Vol.   XXIX,   Part   1,  p.   972. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  275 

the  expedition.  The  week  the  cadets  had  spent  in  the 
field  was  by  long  odds  the  most  severe  field  service  they 
had  yet  experienced.  It  had  rained  and  sleeted  almost 
continuously,  and  in  the  intermissions  of  the  storm  the 
weather  had  been  intensely  cold.  The  soft  dirt  roads 
were  either  ankle-deep  in  mud,  or  frozen  hard,  making 
marching  most  difficult;  and  on  one  occasion  it  had 
been  necessary  to  cut  the  tent  ropes  and  walls  upon 
breaking  camp,  where  they  had  frozen  to  the  ground. 
The  cadets  were  inadequately  provided  with  heavy 
clothing  and  shoes  for  such  conditions,  and  the  Superin- 
tendent had  been  compelled  to  purchase  shoes  wherever 
possible,  in  order  to  supply  their  needs.  Yet,  there  was 
practically  no  sickness,  and  hardly  a  cadet  fell  out  of 
ranks,  throughout  the  entire  week. 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"December  21,  1863. 

"General  Orders — No.  92. 

"I.  The  severe  tour  of  duty  in  the  field  to  which  the  Corps 
of  Cadets  has  been  recently  called  makes  it  proper  that  academic 
duties  should  be  suspended  to-morrow,  that  time  may  be  afforded 
for  cleaning  arms,  etc..  so  as  to  be  in  a  state  of  preparedness  for 
any  other  calls.  The  regular  academic  exercises  will  be  resumed  on 
Wednesday  morning. 

"II.  The  cheerful  alacrity  with  which  the  cadets  have  responded 
to  this  call  of  their  country,  and  the  patient  endurance  with  which 
they  have  borne  the  severe  exposure  to  which  they  have  been  sub- 
jected, constitute  the  highest  tests  of  character  of  the  true  soldier. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"J.  H.  Morrison, 

"A.  A.,  V.  M.  I." 

The  following  day  it  was  announced  that  the  accounts 
of  cadets  would,  upon  the  authority  of  the  Adjutant- 
General,  be  credited  with  the  cost  of  the  shoes  and  other 
clothing  procured  for  them  during  the  expedition,  and 
that  the  Chief  of  Ordnance  had  honored  a  requisition 
for  250  pairs  of  army  shoes  for  the  cadets  and  the 
musicians  who  had  accompanied  the  Corps  in  the  field, 
and  that  he  had  also  detailed  three  regular  shoemakers 
to  the  Institute  to  keep  the  cadets  properly  shod  in  the 
futui'e. 


276  The  Military  History  of 


CHAPTER  XIX 

FROM  THE  SUBLIME  TO  THE  RIDICULOUS 

The  winter  of  1864  was  an  uneventful  one  for  the 
Corps,  for  no  further  field  service  was  exacted  of  the 
cadets  until  late  in  the  spring. 

The  monotony  of  the  routine  was  broken  only  by  the 
coming  and  going  of  dashing  young  officers  who  clanked 
their  spurs  about  Barracks,  and  recounted  marvelous 
tales  of  the  service,  to  an  interested  audience.  Wounded 
or  paroled  officers  from  distant  homes  frequently  spent 
their  periods  of  inactivity  visiting  their  friends  in  the 
faculty  and  sub-faculty.  There  was  "Sheep"  Flower- 
ree  of  Vicksburg,  '61,  Colonel  of  the  gallant  7th  Vir- 
ginia, who  had  been  desperately  wounded  at  Fredericks- 
burg, but  with  bandages  almost  wet  had  ridden  up 
Cemetery  Hill  at  the  head  of  his  regiment, 
after  Colonel  W.  T.  Patton,  \55  (whom  he  succeeded  in 
command),  had  been  wounded,  and  who  now  came  to 
visit  his  old  classmate,  Captain  Wise.  Then,  there  were 
"Bute"  Henderson,  '59,  "Tige"  Harding,  '58 
(wounded  at  Fort  Harrison),  "Marsh"  McDonald,  '60, 
paroled  at  Vicksburg,  all  of  whom,  at  one  time  or  an- 
other during  the  war,  turned  up  at  the  Institute.  To 
the  outside  world,  they  were  Colonels,  Majors,  etc.;  at 
the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  they  were  "Sheep"  and 
"Bute"  and  "Tige",  just  as  the  permanent  officers  of 
the  Institute  were  "Old  Spex"  Smith,  "Old  Bald" 
Preston,  "Old  Jack"  Jackson,  "Old  Polly"  Colston, 
"Old  Tom"  Wilhamson,  "Old  Gill"  Gilham,  "Chinook" 
Wise,  and  "Old  Shipp".  Everybody  connected  with 
the  Institute  from  the  smallest  "rat"  to  the  most  vener- 
able professor,  has  always  had  his  appropriate  nick- 
name, and  generally  an  extraordinarily  appropriate 
one.     Who  gives  them,  how  they  originate, — no  one 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  277 

knows;  but  they  invariably  attach  themselves  with  a 
persistence  which  never  relaxes  with  time. 

Many  a  day  out  of  study  hours,  from  the  lips  of  the 
visiting  officers  the  cadets  drank  in  the  stories  of  how 
Meagher's  Irish  Brigade  was  repulsed  at  Marye's 
Heights;  or,  how  Hayes  made  his  stand  at  Hamilton's 
Crossing;  or,  Pender  at  the  Railroad;  or,  how  Pelham 
raked  Franklin's  Corps  on  the  Rappahannock  Flats. 
Then,  there  were  the  stories  of  little  Joe  Latimer,  the 
"Boy-Major,"  at  Gettysburg;  and  of  Bob  Chew  and 
Jimmie  Thomson,  and  their  marvelous  charges  with 
their  horse  battery  in  the  Valley,  and  how  "Tige"  Hard- 
ing seized  General  Lee's  bridle  rein  at  the  Wilderness 
and  led  him  from  the  head  of  the  column ;  and  of  Patton, 
and  Allen,  and  the  others — all  graduates — at  Cemetery 
Hill.  Indeed,  very  few  youngsters  ever  had  such 
practical  lessons  in  the  art  of  war. 

The  dullness  of  Lexington  was  also  enlivened  by  the 
presence  of  Rosser's  celebrated  "Laurel  Brigade" 
which  wintered  in  1864  at  Buffalo  Forge,  only  a  few 
miles  from  town.  The  Institute  was  constantly  visited 
by  Rosser  and  his  staff  officers  who  brought  the  cadets 
in  touch  with  the  army,  as  nothing  else  had  done.  The 
bold  cavaliers  jangled  their  spurs  through  the  sally- 
port, laughed  loudly  in  the  "subs"  quarters,  and  rode 
about  as  if  they  carried  the  world  in  a  sling,  singing 
merrily  the  song  of  Stuart's  men — "If  you  want  to 
have  a  good  time,  jine  the  Cav-al-ry!" 

These  welcome  neighbors  afforded  the  cadets  unend- 
ing enjoyment. 

During  February,  the  Corps  learned  that  Grant  had 
been  transferred  to  command  in  the  east;  and  soon  that 
the  Valley  was  to  be  cleaned  up  in  such  a  way  that  a 
crow  traversing  the  fair  region  of  the  Shenandoah  would 
have  to  carry  his  rations  with  him.  This  all  spelled  an 
early  resumption  of  active  service ;  and  many  of  the  280 
cadets  present  during  the  winter  resigned,  to  join  the 
army. 


278  The  Military  History  of 

"Good  boys  became  bad  boys  for  the  express  purpose 
of  getting  'shipped',  parents  and  guardians  having  re- 
fused to  permit  them  to  resign.  The  stage  coaches  for 
the  raih'oad  stations  at  Goshen  and  Staunton  stopped 
at  the  sally-port,  on  nearly  every  trip,  to  take  on  cadets 
departing  for  the  front.  Many  a  night,  samitering  back 
and  forth  on  the  sentry-beat  in  front  of  Barracks,  catch- 
ing sounds  of  loud  talk  and  laughter  from  the  officers' 
quarters,  or  pondering  upon  the  last  joyous  squad  of 
cadets  who  had  scrambled  to  the  top  of  the  departing 
stage,  my  heart  longed  for  the  camp;  and  I  wondered 
if  my  time  would  ever  come."* 

In  January,  Captain  Marshall  McDonald  was  de- 
tailed by  the  War  Department  as  Assistant  Professor ; 
and  Lieutenants  Prince  and  Roller  departed  for  the 
Army.  Others  soon  took  their  places ;  and  so  the  winter 
passed  away. 

Late  in  March,  orders  were  received  by  Rosser  to 
break  camp  and  move,  as  soon  as  the  roads  permitted, 
to  the  lower  Valley.  As  a  farewell  compliment  to  the 
distinguished  officer  and  his  command,  the  Superin- 
tendent tendered  him  the  compliment  of  a  review  of  the 
Corps,  on  April  2d. 

April  11th,  Rosser  broke  his  winter  camp  at  Buffalo 
Forge,  and  before  departing,  requested  the  privilege  of 
presenting  the  Corps  with  a  handsome  Federal  Flag, 
which  the  11th  Virginia  Cavalry  (Colonel  Funston 
commanding)  of  his  brigade  had  captured  from  the 
enemy  at  Sangster's  Station.  Accordingly,  the  Com- 
mandant was  ordered  to  form  the  Corps  at  2  p.  m.  for 
the  ceremony.  Promptly,  Rosser's  horsemen  came 
ambling,  trotting,  galloping,  prancing,  upon  the  parade 
ground,  their  mounted  band  playing,  and  their  little 
guidons  fluttering. 

A  squadron  of  11th  Virginia  Cavalry  was  quickly 
formed  into  line  facing  the  Cadet  Battalion,  while 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Matt  Dulaney  Ball,  commanding, 
presented    the  trophy.     Rosser,    whose   escort    on    this 

*End   of  an   Era,   John   S.    Wise,   "64.   p.    286. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  279 

occasion  was  decked  with  leaves  of  mountain  laurel — 
the  evergreen  badge  which  the  brigade  had  adopted — 
with  the  rest  of  his  command,  witnessed  the  ceremony 
from  the  edge  of  the  parade  ground. 

To  the  speech  of  presentation,  Lieutenant-Coloiiel 
Scott  Shipp,  the  Commandant,  who  was  notoriously 
diffident  in  public  speaking,  handsomely  replied,  as 
follows : 

"Allow  me,  sir,  in  behalf  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  to  ac- 
cept, and  to  return  their  acknowledgments  for,  this  beau- 
tiful trophy.  To  be  thus  distinguished  by  those  deeds 
of  high  daring  which  have  won  the  plaudits  of  a  grate- 
ful people,  is  indeed  a  proud  distinction.  We  will  re- 
ceive and  transmit  it  as  a  token  of  remembrance  of  the 
brave  deeds  of  brave  men ;  admiration  of  the  valor  which 
won  it  will  arouse  the  enthusiasm,  and  strengthen  the 
resolves  of  the  young  preparing  to  enter  upon  the  path 
of  glory;  and  when  grim-visaged  war  shall  have 
smoothed  its  wrinkled  front,  and  peace  and  prosperity 
succeed  the  tmnult  and  destruction  of  battle,  it  will  be 
pleasant  to  contemplate  this  as  an  evidence  of  the  suc- 
cess of  our  defenders  against  our  country's  foe.  For 
that  peace  you  have  fought  and  bled,  and  by  your  valor, 
with  God's  assistance,  it  will  be  accomplished.  But,  in 
the  meantime,  the  dread  Moloch  demands  more  heca- 
tombs of  human  victims.  The  war  cloud  will  again 
burst  in  its  fury  upon  you;  those  brave  bosoms  must 
again  be  bared  to  the  pelting  of  the  stones  of  battle; 
the  banner  of  your  gallant  chieftain  will  soon  be  spread, 
and  his  war-crj'^  be  heard  cheering  you  on  to  victory  and 
to  glory.  The  proud  crest  of  your  enemy  must  again 
be  lowered,  and  his  standard  trailed  in  the  dust.  But 
your  past  achievements  give  an  earnest  of  future  suc- 
cess; our  comitrv's  honor  can  be  entrusted  to  vou,  with 
assurance  that  by  you  it  will  be  maintained,  and  the 
justice  of  the  common  cause  vindicated. 

"Young  gentlemen  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  you  re- 
ceive this  trophy  at  the  hands  of  the  gallant  squadron 
that  wrested  it  from  the  grasp  of  the  enemy  in  a  mid- 


280  The  Military  History  of 

night  assault  upon  a  stockaded  fort.  Treasure  it  as 
an  evidence  of  their  prowess;  and  thank  God  that  He 
has  given  you  such  defenders.  But,  remember  that  you 
are  preparing  to  go  forth  to  battle  in  your  own  behalf. 
It  behooves  you,  then,  to  cultivate  and  cherish  those 
military  virtues,  and  the  love  of  glory,  which  inspire  that 
generous  ambition  that  leads  to  honor  and  renown. 
Courage  is  not  an  imborn  quality;  it  is  not  natural,  but 
artificial.  True  courage  does  not  consist  in  insensibility 
to  danger,  but  in  boldly  confronting  and  bravely  meet- 
ing it.  This  can  be  attained,  not  by  the  medium  of  a 
cold,  calculating  reason  which  regards  life  as  the  great- 
est blessing,  the  more  precious  in  its  eyes  since  without 
it  we  can  have  no  other;  but  it  must  be  sought  under 
the  guidance  of  those  high  and  noble  passions — the  love 
of  right,  the  love  of  country,  the  love  of  glory — senti- 
ments which  none  but  the  noble  and  generous  ex- 
perience. Let  the  love  of  glory,  then,  direct  you,  and 
let  the  example  of  the  brave  stimulate  that  love;  and  in 
your  time  you  may  hope  to  take  your  stand  amongst 
the  proudest  of  your  country's  defenders."* 

After  this  formal  acceptance  of  the  flag,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Ball  led  his  squadron  below  the  parapet,  and, 
forming  it  in  line  perpendicular  thereto,  abreast  the 
western  end  of  the  parade  ground,  presented  the  Corps 
with  the  thrilling  spectacle  of  a  headlong  charge,  with 
drawn  sabers  and  the  shrill  battle  cry  of  the  Confeder- 
ates. At  the  Mess  Hall,  the  troopers  abruptly  drew 
rein  and  dismounted;  whereupon,  they  were  tendered 
a  sumptuous  repast  by  the  Superintendent.  Poor 
hungry  fellows!  One  can  well  imagine  the  speed  with 
which  they  traversed  the  approaches  to  those  groaning 
boards. 

Now,  the  sequel  of  these  heroics  leads  us  from  the 
sublime  to  the  ridiculous.  It  forms  no  part  of  the  war- 
time history  of  the  Institute;  but  it  must,  nevertheless, 
be  narrated,  in  order  to  preserve  the  facts.  In  doing 
so,  it  should  be  understood,  at  the  outset,  that  the  writer 

*From  the  original  transcript  in  the  possession  of  General   Shipp. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  281 

regards  as  preposterous  any  suggestion  that  Rosser,  or 
any  of  his  officers,  acted  in  any  way  in  bad  faith,  or 
with  any  motive  but  the  highest. 

But,  the  truth  is,  soon  after  the  presentation  of  the 
flag  to  the  Corps  of  Cadets  by  the  11th  Virginia  Cavalry 
the  rumor  got  abroad  that  the  flag  was  not  "wrested 
from  the  grasp  of  a  vahant  foeman,"  but  was  found  by 
the  victors  at  Sangster's  Station  in  a  captured  baggage 
wagon.  This  led  to  a  certain  amount  of  ridicule,  not- 
withstanding the  fact  that  the  trophy  was  taken  as  a 
result  of  the  prowess  of  the  Confederate  cavalrymen  in 
a  most  gallant  action. 

Very  naturally,  such  criticism  dampened  the  en- 
thusiasm of  the  Commandant  and  the  cadets  over  the 
trophy  concerning  which,  if  the  truth  be  known,  the 
latter  had  never  been  over-appreciative.  "We  felt 
ashamed,"  wrote  a  cadet,  "of  having  flags  captured  for 
us  by  others."  But  there  is  no  suggestion  that  all  did 
not  appreciate  the  motives  of  the  gallant  soldiers  who 
had  presented  the  Corps  of  Cadets  with  the  captured 
colors. 

In  1883,  when  it  was  proposed  by  the  Board  of  Visi- 
tors, of  which  Colonel  Joseph  P.  Minetree,  '59,  was 
President,  and  Colonels  Robert  M.  Mayo,  '57,  E.  E. 
Portlock,  J.  H.  Sherrard,  J.  B.  Raulston;  Majors  J.  A. 
Frazier,  and  R.  H.  Hooper,  Judge  George  W.  Ward, 
'64,  Judge  M.  B.  Wood,  '64,  and  W.  H.  Rivercomb, 
Esq.,  were  members,  which  is  known  as  the  "Read- 
juster  Board,"  to  return  the  captured  flag  to  the  city 
of  New  York,  with  befitting  ceremony,  the  Comman- 
dant informed  them  of  the  report  about  the  manner  of 
its  seizure,  and  warned  them  that  there  was  danger  of 
its  not  being  received  by  the  people  of  New  York  in  the 
spirit  expected  by  the  Board.  Little  notice,  however, 
was  taken  of  this  suggestion. 

The  final  exercises  were  held  at  the  Institute  as  usual, 
with  the  exception  that  the  Diplomas  were  not  granted 
there.  On  the  30th  of  June,  the  Corps,  which  then 
numbered  little  over  one  hundred  cadets,  accompanied 


282  The  Military  History  of 

by  the  Board  of  Visitors  and  the  Superintendent,  left 
for  New  York  by  special  train,  all  expenses  being  de- 
frayed by  Governor  Cameron  out  of  his  contingent 
fund. 

Arriving  in  New  York  City  on  the  2d  of  July,  the 
Corps  was  quartered  in  the  old  69th  Regiment  Armory, 
near  Cooper's  Union.  On  the  4th,  it  was  marched  with 
colors  flying  to  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  where  arms 
were  stacked  in  the  lobby  and  the  cadets  assembled  in 
the  large  reception  room  above.  Here,  President 
Arthur,  after  a  brief  speech,  delivered  the  Diplomas  to 
the  Graduating  Class.  His  remarks  were  not  inspired 
with  that  enthusiasm  which  it  had  been  expected  the 
occasion  would  elicit,  for,  imfortunately,  that  morning, 
the  New  York  Herald,  apprised  of  the  mission  of  the 
Corps,  had  fully  presented  the  facts  concerning  the 
capture  of  the  flag  from  the  New  York  Regiment.  Ap- 
preciating the  motives  of  the  Board  and  of  the  cadets, 
it  refrained  from  irony,  but,  nevertheless,  in  a  delicate 
way,  stated  the  facts  of  the  case. 

Now,  anyone  knows  that  a  battle  flag  captured  in  a 
baggage  wagon  does  not  possess  the  same  interest  for 
the  world  that  a  stand  of  colors  taken  in  action  does; 
and,  while  everyone  accorded  the  11th  Virginia  Cavalry 
full  credit  for  their  daring  on  the  field  of  Sangster's 
Station,  feeling  was  universal  that  the  trophy,  being  re- 
turned to  the  City  of  New  York,  from  whose  troops  it 
had  been  taken,  lacked  something  essential  to  the  in- 
spiration of  real  enthusiasm  over  the  event.  The  officers 
and  cadets  of  the  Institute  over-sensitive,  perhaps,  felt 
that  their  position  was  an  absurd  one;  but  the  generous 
conduct  of  the  Mayor  and  other  officials  engaged  in  the 
reception  of  the  flag  (all  of  whom  entered  into  the 
affair  with  the  proper  spirit)  did  much  to  reassure  them. 

From  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  the  Battalion  was 
marched  down  Broadway  to  the  City  Hall  where  the 
Superintendent,  attended  by  his  staff  and  the  members 
of  the  Board,  conveyed  the  trophy  to  the  Mayor's 
Office,  and  presented  the  flag  with  a  few  appropriate 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  283 

remarks  ( after  accidentally  smashing  the  costly  chande- 
lier fixtures  with  the  pike-head  of  the  staff)  to  the  Chief 
Executive  of  the  great  metropolis. 

Mayor  Fernando  Wood,  a  most  distinguished  gentle- 
man, gracefully  received  the  flag ;  and,  in  an  appropriate 
speech  of  acceptance,  expressed  the  sincere  gratitude  of 
the  people  of  the  City  of  New  York,  showing  not  the 
least  suggestion  of  a  lack  of  appreciation  on  their  part. 

After  the  presentation,  the  Corps  was  tendered  by 
the  Mayor  a  sumptuous  repast,  spread  in  the  spacious 
lower  apartments  of  the  City  Hall,  the  Commandant 
just  arriving  on  the  scene  in  time  to  check  the  danger- 
ously generous  libations  of  New  York's  best  champagne, 
which  were  being  poured  out,  to  the  delectation  of  the 
youthful  soldiers. 

So,  ended  an  affair,  if  not  farcical,  certainly  the  most 
unwelcome  one  in  which  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  in  its 
military  capacity,  has,  perhaps,  ever  engaged;  for,  in 
spite  of  the  appreciative  manner  in  which  the  flag  was 
received  by  official  New  York,  the  Herald  had  unin- 
tentionally given  the  whole  affair  the  semblance  of  an 
opera  houffe. 

But  the  incident  was  valuable,  in  that  it  pointed  two 
morals  which  will  long  be  remembered  at  the  Institute; 
first,  no  military  organization  should  receive  the 
captured  flags  of  another  command;  and  second,  let  the 
command  which  takes  them,  return  its  own  trophies! 


284  The  Military  History  of 


CHAPTER  XX 

BRECKINRIDGE     ORDERS     OUT     THE     CORPS THE     MARCH 

DOWN  THE  VALLEY 

When  Grant  undertook  the  execution  of  his  plan  to 
take  Richmond,  in  the  spring  of  1864,  he  assigned 
Major-General  Franz  Sigel,  commanding  the  Depart- 
ment of  West  Virginia,  the  task  of  overrunning  the 
Valley  with  the  25,000  men  at  his  disposal.  This  rich 
section  had  been  regarded  as  the  granary  of  Lee's  Army 
throughout  the  war,  and  many  futile  efforts  had  been 
made  to  gain  complete  possession  of  it. 

Imboden  learned  early  in  the  spring  of  Sigel's  orders, 
which  were  to  press  up  the  Valley  with  about  8,000 
men,  with  a  view  to  seizing  Staunton  and  Lynchburg, 
while  Crook  with  a  somewhat  larger  force  was  to  make 
a  raid  through  southwest  Virginia  and  destroy  the  Vir- 
ginia and  Tennessee  Railroad  as  he  moved  eastward 
towards  Lynchburg,  where  it  was  expected  the  two 
columns  would  form  a  junction. 

Leaving  the  Kanawha  on  May  2d,  Crook  penetrated 
as  far  as  Union,  where  he  united  with  Averell,  and 
then  fell  back,  after  having  defeated  Jenkins  at  Cloyd's 
Mountain  on  the  9th,  again  at  New  River  on  the  11th, 
and  after  cutting  the  railroad. 

On  May  1st,  Sigel  commenced  his  march  upon 
Staunton,  which  was  intended  to  be  a  diversion  in  favor 
of  Crook.  In  the  Valley,  Imboden,  with  less  than  3,000 
men,  alone  stood  across  his  path,  but,  on  the  2d,  broke 
camp  and  advanced  from  Mount  Crawford  to  meet 
Sigel,  after  calling  upon  the  Home  Guards  in  Rocking- 
ham and  Augusta  counties  to  prepart  to  assist  him. 
He  also  requested  General  Smith  to  place  the  Corps  of 
Cadets  in  readiness  to  march  to  his  support. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  285 

During  the  late  winter,  the  cadets  had  been  unusually 
restless.  On  one  occasion  they  had  held  a  mass  meeting 
and  passed  resolutions  tendering  their  services  as  a 
military  unit  to  General  Lee,  an  action,  which,  late  in 
April,  led  the  Superintendent  to  make  such  an  offer 
through  proper  channels,  for  the  experiences  of  the  fall 
and  winter  convinced  him  that  serious  and  uninter- 
rupted application  to  academic  work  was  impossible, 
with  raiding  columns  galloping  around  the  county  and 
threatening,  at  all  times,  to  reach  Lexington. 

The  day  Imboden  directed  the  cadets  to  be  held  in 
readiness,  the  following  letter  from  General  Lee  to  the 
Adjutant- General  was  received  by  the  Superintendent: 

"April  25,  1864. 

"Major-General  Wm.  H.  Richardson, 

"Adjutant-General  of  Virginia,  Richmond. 

"General — Your  letter  of  the  22d  inst.,  inclosing  that  of  Gen- 
eral Francis  H.  Smith,  in  which  he  proposes  to  tender  the  services 
of  the  Corps  of  Cadets  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  for  the 
approaching  campaign,  is  received. 

"I  desire  to  express  my  appreciation  of  the  patriotic  spirit  that 
actuates  General  Smith  in  making  this  proposal,  and  my  gratifi- 
cation at  finding  that  it  meets  with  your  concurrence.  I  do  not 
think,  however,  that  it  would  be  best,  at  this  time,  for  the  Corps  to 
be  called  to  this  Army.  It  is  now  in  a  situation  to  render  valuable 
aid  in  defending  our  western  frontier,  which  may  be  menaced 
simultaneously  with  the  general  advance  of  the  enemy  in  the  east. 
It  will  thus  prevent  the  necessity  of  detaching  troops  from  this 
Army.  I  think  it  would  be  advisable  for  General  Smith  to  hold  the 
command  in  readiness  to  co-operate  with  General  Breckinridge  and 
General  Imboden,  in  case  of  necessity,  and  to  notify  those  officers 
of  the  fact.  Should  it  at  any  time  become  necessary,  or  expedient, 
to  have  the  service  of  the  cadets  with  this  Army,  it  is  ver}^  gratify- 
ing to  me  to  know  that  they  are  so  freely  placed  at  my  disposal. 

"Very  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"R.  E.  Lee, 

"General." 

Upon  receiving  this  letter,  the  Adjutant-General  for- 
warded it  to  the  Superintendent,  directing  him  to  pre- 


286  The  Military  History  of 

pare  the  Corps  for  the  field  and  to  communicate  with 
Breckinridge  and  Imboden,  which  he  did,  as  follows : 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"May  2,  1864. 
"Major-General  John  C.  Breckinridge, 

"Commanding  Dept.  of  Western  Virginia,  Dublin  Depot. 

"General — I  have  the  honor  to  inclose  herewith  a  letter  from 
General  R.  E.  Lee,  commanding  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  ad- 
dressed to  the  Adjutant-General  of  Virginia,  also  a  copy  of  in- 
structions from  the  Governor  of  Virginia,  communicated  by  the 
Adjutant-General,  defining  my  duty  as  Superintendent  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Military  Institute.  Under  these  instructions  and  suggestions, 
I  now  respectfully  report  to  you  for  such  orders  as  the  emergencies 
of  the  approaching  campaign  may  call  forth.  The  Corps  of  Cadets 
number  an  aggregate  of  280,  of  whom  250  may  be  relied  upon  for 
active  duty,  leaving  30  as  a  necessary  guard  to  the  Institute,  and  as 
disabled.  The  command  is  organized  as  a  battalion  of  four  com- 
panies, and  is  usually  accompanied  by  a  section  of  artillery.  It  is 
fully  equipped,  except  in  horses,  and  these  are  impressed  in  case  of 
need.  We  have  abundance  of  ammunition,  tents,  knapsacks, 
shovels,  and  picks,  and  will  be  prepared  to  march  at  a  moment's 
notice.  Brigadier-General  Imboden  is  about  constructing  tele- 
graphic communication  between  the  Institute  and  Staunton.  This, 
he  hopes  to  have  in  operation  by  the  middle  of  May.  In  the  mean- 
time, he  will  communicate  with  us  by  signals.  Any  orders,  or 
intelligence  from  Dublin  Depot,  had  better  be  forwarded  to  General 
Imboden,  at  Staunton,  with  instructions  to  be  immediately  (trans- 
mitted) to  me. 

"I  remain.  General, 

"Very  respectfully. 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"Francis  H.  Smith, 
"Brevet  Major-General  and  Superintendent."* 

The  following  prompt  reply  was  received  from 
Breckinridge: 

"Headquarters,  Department  of  West  Virginia, 

"Dublin  Depot,  May  4,  1864. 
"General  Francis  H.  Smith, 

"Superintendent,  Virginia  Military  Institute,  Lexington,  Va. 

"General — I  have  just  received  your  letter  of  the  2d  inst., 
concerning  one  from  General  Lee  to  the  Adjutant-General  of 
Virginia,  also  a  copy  of  the  instructions  to  you  from  the  Governor. 

♦Rebellion    Records.    Series    I.    Vol.    XXXVTT,    Part    1.    pp.    707-708. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  287 

"I  am  gratified  to  learn  that  a  battalion  of  cadets  250  strong, 
with  a  section  of  artillery,  will  be  ready  to  move  on  a  moment's 
notice.  This  force  will  be  very  effective  in  assisting  to  repel,  or 
capture,  destructive  raiding  parties. 

"The  limits  of  my  department  have  not  been  defined  in  the  east, 
and  I  have  been  unable  to  adopt  many  precautions  east  of  Monroe 
and  Greenbrier.  I  have,  however,  thrown  up  a  work  at  the  railroad 
bridge  over  the  Cow  Pasture,  another  at  the  bridge  over  Jackson 
River,  and  a  line  of  rifle  pits  at  Island  Ford.  Col.  Wm.  I..  Jackson 
is  covering  the  approaches  to  these  points,  and  to  Rockbridge,  from 
that  general  direction.  It  may  be  necessary  for  you  to  move  in 
that  quarter,  or  to  protect  the  Iron  Furnace  in  Botetourt,  or  in 
Buchanan.  I  will  try  to  send  the  earliest  intelligence  through 
General  Imboden,  as  you  suggest,  or  if  it  should  be  beyond  reach 
of  telegraph,  by  special  courier. 

"General  Imboden  will,  of  course,  apprise  you  of  my  movements 
in  direction  of  Millboro,  Staunton,  etc. 

"Fully  appreciating  your  patriotic  feelings,  and  those  of  the 
young  gentlemen  you  command, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"John  C.  Breckinridge." 

While  the  Corps  remained  in  restless  ignorance  of 
the  probability  of  the  early  call  which  the  foregoing 
communication  indicated  to  the  authorities,  the  follow- 
ing letter  was  forwarded  to  the  Superintendent  by  the 
Governor,  who  directed  that  the  flag  mentioned  be 
hoisted,  as  requested: 

"March  6,  1864. 

"His  Excellency,  William  Smith, 
"Governor  of  Virginia. 

"Sir — I  have  received  from  Mr.  H.  Sheddon,  of  Liverpool,  the 
enclosed  letter,  and  the  accompanying  flag  manufactured  by  him  to 
be  hoisted  over  the  grave  of  the  lamented  Jackson.  As  the  remains 
of  the  deceased  hero  repose  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  if  not  actually 
within  the  precinct,  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  a  State 
institution  with  which  he  was  connected  as  an  honored  professor,  I 
have  thought  it  most  appropriate  to  commit  the  flag  to  the  custody 
of  your  Excellency,  feeling  assured  that  you  will  take  pleasure  in 
carrying  out  the  wishes  of  the  generous  donor. 

"Very  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"James  A.  Sedden, 

"Secretary  of  War." 


288  The  Military  History  of 

(inclosure) 

"10  Waffling,  Liverpool, 

"25th  January,  1864. 

"To  THE  Right  Honorable,  the  Secretary  of  War, 
"Confederate  States  of  America, 
"Richmond,  Virginia. 

"Sir — Having  read  in  some  of  the  English  papers  that  a  flag  is 
kept  permanently  hoisted  over  the  grave  of  the  late  lamented 
General  Stonewall  Jackson,  may  I  beg  your  acceptance  of  one  I 
send  with  this  letter  to  replace  the  one  now  in  use  when  it  shall 
have  become  worn  out,  as  some  slight  expression  of  my  admiration 
for  the  character  and  heroism  of  General  Jackson,  and  also  of  my 
best  wishes  for  the  success  of  the  Confederacy. 

"I  remain,  sir,  with  much  respect, 

"Yours  obediently, 

"Hugh  Sheddon." 

Accordingly,  on  May  9th,  the  Superintendent 
directed  that  the  Corps  be  formed  at  9  a.  m.  the  follow- 
ing day,  which  was  done;  and  the  handsome  flag  was 
hoisted  over  his  grave  in  the  Lexington  Cemeteiy  by 
the  Corps,  on  the  First  Anniversary  of  the  death  of 
Lieutenant- General  Thomas  Jonathan  Jackson,  late 
Professor,  Virginia  Military  Institute,  amid  the  plau- 
dits of  a  great  gathering  of  citizens. 

How  singular  it  was  on  that  very  day  Breckinridge 
issued  his  order  calling  on  the  Corps  of  Cadets  to  take 
the  field  in  his  support! 

On  May  4th,  Breckinridge,  who  had  succeeded  Jones 
in  command  of  the  Department  of  West  Virginia  in 
February,  had  been  informed  by  President  Davis  that 
Sigel  was  advancing  up  the  Valley  against  Imboden, 
and  was  requested  to  hasten  to  the  defense  of  Staunton. 
May  6th,  he  set  out  from  Pulaski  County  with  Echols's 
Brigade,  consisting  of  the  22d  Virginia,  the  26th 
Battalion,  and  the  23d  Battalion,  the  51st  Virginia, 
Clarke's  Battalion,  30th  Virginia,  of  Wharton's  Bri- 
gade ;  and  Chapman's  Battery,  aggregating  about  4,000 
men.  Reaching  Staunton  on  the  8th,  in  advance  of  his 
troops,  Breckinridge  at  once  took  charge  of  affairs. 

Sigel's  movements  since  the  2d  had  been  characterized 
by  the  utmost  slowness.    Two  flank  columns  of  cavalrv 


a 


/5 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  289 

which  he  had  sent  out  from  Winchester  had  been  de- 
feated; but,  on  the  9th  he  was  joined  at  Cedar  Creek  by 
Sulhvan's  division,  and,  after  a  skirmish  on  the  10th, 
reached  Woodstock.  It  was  at  this  juncture  that 
Breckinridge  determined  to  call  upon  the  Corps  of 
Cadets,  and  early  that  day  he  dispatched  his  order  by 
courier  to  General  Smith. 

"It  was  the  10th  of  May. 

"Nature  bedecked  herself  that  springtime  in  her 
loveliest  garb,  battalion  drill  had  begun  early,  and  the 
Corps  had  never  been  more  proficient  at  this  season  of 
the  year. 

"The  parade  ground  was  firm  and  green.  The  trees 
were  clothed  in  the  full  livery  of  fresh  foliage.  The 
sun  shone  on  us  through  pellucid  air,  and  the  light 
breath  of  May  kissed  and  fluttered  our  white  colors, 
which  were  adorned  with  the  face  of  Washington. 

"After  going  through  the  maneuvers  of  battalion 
drill,  the  Corps  was  drawn  up,  near  sundown,  for  dress- 
parade.  It  was  the  time  of  year  when  townsfolk  drove 
down  and  ranged  themselves  upon  the  avenue  to  witness 
our  brave  display ;  and  groups  of  girls  in  filmy  garments 
set  off  with  bits  of  color,  came  tripping  across  the  sod; 
and  children  and  nurses  sat  about  the  benches  at  the 
Guard-Tree. 

"The  battalion  was  put  through  the  manual.  The 
first  sergeants  reported.  The  adjutant  read  his  orders. 
The  fifes  and  drums  played  down  the  line  in  slow  time, 
and  came  back  with  a  jolly,  rattling  air.  The  officers 
advanced  to  music,  and  saluted.  The  sun  sank  beyond 
the  House  Mountain.  The  evening  gun  boomed  forth. 
The  garrison-flag  fell  lazily  from  its  peak  on  the 
barracks'  tower.  The  four  companies  went  springing 
homeward  to  the  gayest  tune  the  fifes  knew  how  to 
play.  Never,  in  all  its  history,  looked  Lexington  more 
beautiful. 

"Never  did  sense  of  secluded  peacefulness  rest  more 
soothingly  upon  her  population.  In  our  leisure-time, 
after    supper,    cadets    strolled    back    and    forth    from 


19 


290  The  Military  History  or 

Barracks  to  the  'Limits'  gate,  and  watched  the  full- 
orbed  moon  lift  herself  from  the  mountains.  Perfume 
was  in  the  air,  silence  in  the  shadows.  Well  might  we 
quote  :— 

"  'How  beautiful  this  night! 
The  balmiest  sigh  that  vernal  zephyrs  breathe  in  evening's  ear, 
Were  discord  to  the  speaking  quietude 
That  wraps  this  moveless  scene.     Heaven's  ebon  vault, 
Bestudded  with  stars  unutterably  bright, 
Through  which  the  moon's  unclouded 
Splendor  rolls,  seems  like  a  canopy  which 
Love  hath  spread,  to  shelter  its 
Sleeping  world.'  " 

"And  so,  tranquil,  composed  by  the  delightful  scenes 
around  us,  three  hundred  of  us  closed  our  eyes,  and 
passed  into  happy  dreams  of  youth  and  springtime. 

"Hark!  the  drums  are  beating.  Their  throbbing 
bounds  through  every  corner  of  the  Barracks,  saying  to 
the  sleepers,  'Be  up  and  doing'.    It  is  the  long  roll. 

"Long  roll  had  been  beaten  several  times  of  late, 
sometimes  to  catch  absentees,  and  once  for  a  fire  in  the 
town.  Grumblingly  the  cadets  hurried  down  to  their 
places  in  the  ranks,  expecting  to  be  soon  dismissed,  and 
to  return  to  their  beds.  A  group  of  officers,  intently 
scanning  by  the  light  of  a  lantern  a  paper  held  by  the 
adjutant,  stood  near  the  statue  of  George  Washington, 
opposite  the  arch.  The  companies  were  marched  to- 
gether. The  adjutant  commanded,  'Attention!'  and 
proceeded  to  read  the  orders  in  his  hands."* 

Breckinridge's  dispatch  had  been  received  and  was 
as  follows: 

"Staunton,  May  10,  1864. 

"General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"Commandant  of  Cadets,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 
"Lexington,  Virginia. 

"Sigel  is  moving  up  the  Valley,  was  at  Strasburg  last  night. 
I  can  not  tell  yet  whether  this  is  his  destination.  I  would  be  glad 
to  have  your  assistance  at  once,  with  the  cadets,  and  the  section  of 
artillery.     Bring  all  the  forage  and  rations  you  can. 

*End  of  an  Era,  John  S.  Wise. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  291 

"Have  the  reserves  of  Rockbridge  ready,  and  let  them  send  here 
for  arms  and  ammunition,  if  they  can  not  be  supplied  at  Lexington. 

"Very  respectfully, 

"John  C.  Breckinridge^ 

"Majoi--General." 

And  then  followed  the  Superintendent's  midnight 
order : 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"May  11,  186i. 
"General  Orders — No.  18. 

"I.  Under  the  orders  of  Major-General  John  C.  Breckinridge, 
Commanding  Department  of  West  Virginia,  the  Corps  of  Cadets 
and  a  Section  of  Artillery  will  forthwith  take  up  the  line  of  march 
for  Staunton,  Virginia,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Scott  Shipp.     The  cadets  will  carry  with  them  two  days'  rations. 

"II.  Captain  J.  C.  Whitwell  will  accompany  the  expedition  as 
Assistant  Quartermaster  and  Commissary,  and  will  see  that  the 
proper  transportation,  etc.,  is  supplied. 

"III.  Surgeon  R.  L.  Madison  and  Assistant  Surgeon  George 
Ross  will  accompany  the  expedition,  and  attend  to  the  care  of  the 
sick  and  wounded. 

"IV.  Colonel  Shipp,  on  arriving  at  Staunton,  will  report  in 
person  to  Major-General  Breckinridge,  and  await  his  further 
instructions. 

"V.  Captain  T.  M.  Semmes  is  assigned  to  temporary  duty  on 
the  staff  of  the  Commanding  Officer. 

"By  command,  Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"J.  H.  Morrison, 

"A.  A.,  V.  M.  I." 

"  'Parade's  dismissed',  piped  the  adjutant.  The  ser- 
geants side-stepped  us  to  our  respective  company- 
parades. 

"Methinks  that,  even  after  thirty-three  years,  1  once 
more  hear  the  game-cock  voices  of  the  sergeants  detail- 
ing their  artillery  and  ammunition  squads,  and  ordering 
us  to  appear  with  canteens,  haversacks,  and  blankets  at 
four  A.  M.  Still,  silence  reigned.  Then,  as  company 
after  company  broke  ranks,  the  air  was  rent  with  wild 
cheering  at  the  thought  that  our  hour  was  come,  at  last. 

"Elsewhere  in  the  Confederacy,  death,  disaster,  dis- 
appointment may  have  by  this  time  chilled  the  ardor  of 


292  The  Military  History  of 

our  people;  but  here,  in  this  httle  band  of  fledghngs, 
the  hope  of  battle  flamed  as  brightly  as  on  the  morning 
of  Manassas. 

"We  breakfasted  by  candle-light,  and  filled  our 
haversacks  from  the  mess-hall  tables.  In  the  gray  of 
morning,  we  wound  down  the  hill  to  the  river,  tramped 
heavily  across  the  bridge,  ascended  the  pike  beyond, 
cheered  the  fading  turrets  of  the  School;  and  sunrise 
found  us  going  at  a  four-mile  gait  to  Staunton,  our 
gallant  little  battery  rumbling  behind."* 

It  rained  intermittently  throughout  the  day,  but  the 
Corps  reached  Midway,  about  18  miles  from  Lexington, 
that  afternoon,  where  it  bivouacked  for  the  night. 

Meantime  the  Superintendent  had  forwarded  the 
following  communication  to  Breckinridge: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"May  11,  1864,  6  a.  m. 
"Major-General  J.  C.  Breckinridge, 

"Commanding  Department  of  Western  Virginia. 

"General — Your  dispatch  of  yesterday  by  courier  was  received 
by  me  at  9  p.  m.  Immediately  gave  orders  to  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Shipp,  commanding  cadets,  to  have  his  battalion  in  readiness  to  move 
this  morning  at  7  o'clock.  They  are  now  forming  and  will  reacli 
Bell's,  sixteen  miles,  to-day  and  be  in  Staunton  to-morrow.  I  have 
issued  to  them  rations  for  two  days,  and  will  send  with  them  500 
pounds  of  bacon  and  as  much  beef  as  I  can  find  transportation  for. 
I  have  sixty-four  barrels  of  flour  near  Staunton.  I  send  100  bushels 
of  corn  for  forage.  The  cadets  are  armed  with  Austrian  rifles  and 
take  40  rounds  of  ammunition.  The  section  of  artillery  will  consist 
of  3-inch  iron  rifles,  and  the  ammunition  chests  of  the  limbers  will 
be  filled.  I  have  ten  or  twelve  6-pounder  brass  pieces  here  mounted 
and  one  12-pounder  howitzer,  if  any  should  be  needed.  Horses 
have  been  impressed  for  the  artillery  and  transportation,  but  horses 
are  slow  in  coming  in.  The  artillery  have  orders  to  reach  the 
infantry  battalion  to-night. 

"I  have  ordered  four  companies  of  reserves  to  rendezvous  here. 
I  will  arm  and  equip  them,  and  hold  them  in  readiness  to  move  at  a 
moment's  notice.  No  commanding  officers  have  been  appointed  to 
this  battalion.  I  will  direct  the  commander  of  the  post  of  Lexington 
to  supply  rations,  should  they  be  called  out.  Your  dispatch  finds 
me    very    unwell,    but    I    shall    hope    to    be    with    you    to-morrow. 

*End  of  an   Era,   .T.   S.   Wise. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  293 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott  Shipp  has  orders  to  report  to  you  on  reach- 
ing Staunton.  If  the  reserve  companies  are  required  to  move  to 
Staunton,  I  will  have  them  in  readiness  to  move  to-morrow,  and 
shall  get  transportation  for  6,000  pounds  of  bacon  from  the  Com- 
missary. Confederate  States,  here. 

"Francis  H.  Smith, 

"Brevet  Major-General."* 

"May  11th.  We  surely  'dwell  in  the  midst  of  alarms'. 
We  were  roused  from  our  beds  this  morning  at  five 
o'clock  by  an  order  for  the  impressment  of  our  horses 
to  haul  the  institute  cannon:  then  came  Frank  (Captain 
Preston,  tactical  officer,  V.  M.  I.),  Preston  Cocke,  and 
William  Lewis  (cadets),  for  a  hurried  breakfast,  and 
provisions  for  their  haversacks;  ordered  towards  Win- 
chester, where  is  Sigel  with  a  large  Yankee  force.  They 
left  at  7  o'clock;  all  the  Home  Guard  is  ordered  out 
too;  so  Lexington  is  left  without  men.  Last  night,  fir- 
ing was  heard  by  a  great  many  persons,  more  distinctly, 
they  say,  than  ever  before.  They  suppose  it  to  be  at 
Richmond.  I'm  thankful  my  husband  is  away  on  the 
errand  of  God's  Church,  and  so  escapes  going  to  Win- 
chester.    He  will  regret  it  no  little!"** 

May  12th  the  Corps  reached  Staunton.  "We  were  in 
every  way  fitted  for  this  kind  of  work  by  our  hard  drill- 
ing, and  marched  into  Staunton  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
second  day,  showing  little  effects  of  travel.  We  found 
a  pleasant  camping-ground  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town, 
and  thither  the  whole  population  flocked  for  inspection 
of  the  Corps,  and  to  witness  dress-parade,  for  our  fame 
was  widespread.  The  attention  bestowed  upon  the 
cadets  was  enough  to  turn  the  heads  of  much  humbler 
persons  than  ourselves."! 

Evening  found  the  Confederate  forces  in  Staunton 
in  the  shadow  of  impending  battle,  for  couriers  hourly 
arrived  reporting  Sigel's  approach.  Breckinridge,  how- 
ever, bold  to  the  point  of  rashness,  but  no  doubt  count- 
ing much  on  the  dullness  of  his  adversary,  determined 

♦Rebellion  Records,  Series  I,  Vol.  XXXVII,  Part  1,  p.  730. 

•♦Diary  of  Mrs.  Preston,  p.   179. 

tEnd  of  an  Era,  .1.  S.  Wise.     The  camp  was  just  north  of  the  town. 


294  The  Military  History  of 

to  move  out  the  next  morning  to  meet  the  enemy,  and 
published  the  following  order,  which  was  read  to  the 
cadets  at  dress  parade: 

"Headquarters,  Valley  District, 

"Staunton,  Va.,  May  12,  1864.. 

"General  Orders — No.  1. 

"I.  The  command  will  march  to-morrow  morning  promptly  at 
6  o'clock,  on  turnpike  to  Harrisonburg. 

"The  following  Order  of  March  will  be  observed: 
"Wharton's  Brigade, 
"Echols's  Brigade, 
"Corps  of  Cadets, 
"Reserve  Forces, 

"Ambulances  and  Medical  Wagons, 
"Artillery, 
1  rams. 
"n.     The  artillery  will,  for  the  present,  be  united  and  form  a 
battalion,  under  the  command  of  Major  McLaughlin. 

"The  trains  will  move  behind  the  artillery  in  the  order  of  their 
respective  commands. 

"IH.      Brigadier-General  Echols  will  detail  two  companies  under 
the  command  of  a  field-officer  as  guard  for  the  trains. 
"By  command  of  Major-General  Breckinridge, 

"J.  Stoddard  Johnston. 

"A.  A.-G." 

To  the  various  commanding  officers  the  following 
circular  was  issued: 

"Circular,  May  12,  1864. 

"I.  The  troops  of  this  command  will  be  ready  to  move  at  day- 
light to-morrow  morning,  with  two  (2)  da)^s'  cooked  rations.  At 
least  five  (5)  days'  rations  will  be  taken  in  the  wagons,  and  more 
if  possible. 

"II.  Commanding  officers  are  directed  to  take  sufficient  steps  to 
prevent  the  wagons  from  being  overloaded  with  superfluous  articles. 
No  knapsacks,  blankets,  etc.,  etc.,  will  be  carried  in  the  wagons, 
or  on  the  pieces  or  caissons. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  Breckinridge, 

"W.  B.  Myers, 
"A.  A.-G."* 


♦From    the    original    in    General    Shipp"s    possession. 


The  Virginia  Miijtary  Institute  295 

That  night,  Hke  Brussels  on  tlie  eve  of  Waterloo,  the 
town  was  hilarious.  The  cadets  were  in  great  demand 
at  the  dances  which  had  been  arranged  for  their  enter- 
tainment. "The  adoration  bestowed  upon  us  by  the 
young  girls  disgusted  the  regular  officers.  Before  our 
coming,  they  had  things  all  their  own  way.  Now,  they 
fomid  that  fierce  mustaches  and  heavy  cavalry  boots 
must  give  place  to  the  downy  cheeks  and  merry,  twink- 
ling feet  we  brought  from  Lexington.  A  big  blond 
captain,  who  was  wearing  a  stunning  bunch  of  gilt 
aiguillettes,  looked  as  if  he  would  snap  off  my  head 
when  I  trotted  up  and  whisked  his  partner  away  from 
him.  They  could  not,  and  would  not,  understand  why 
girls  preferred  these  little  untitled  whippersnappers 
to  officers  of  distinction.  Veterans  forgot  that  youth 
loves  youth. 

"All  this  on  the  eve  of  a  battled  Yes,  of  course. 
Why  not?  To  be  sure,  everybody  knew  there  was  go- 
ing to  be  a  fight.  That  was  what  we  came  for.  But 
nobody  among  us  knew,  or  cared,  just  when  or  where 
it  was  coming  off.  Life  is  too  full  of  trouble  for  petty 
officers,  or  privates,  or  young  girls,  to  bother  themselves 
hunting  up  such  disagreeable  details  in  advance.  That 
was  the  business  of  generals.  They  were  to  have  all  the 
glory;  and  so  we  were  willing  they  should  have  all  the 
solicitude,  anxiety,  and  preoccupation."* 

On  the  13th,  the  command  went  into  camp  at  Mount 
Crawford,  near  Harrisonburg,  while  Sigel  sent  forward 
from  Woodstock  three  regiments  of  infantry,  900 
cavalry,  and  six  guns,  under  Colonel  Moor  to  feel  for 
Imboden.  Numerous  couriers  reported  the  advance  of 
the  enemy. 

"Headquarters,  Valley  District, 

"Mount  Crawford,  May  13,  1864. 
"General  Orders — No.  2. 

"I.      The  command  will  move  on  the  mam  road  to  Harrisonburg 
and  New  Market  at  daylight,  to-morrow,  in  the  following  order: 
"Echols's  Brigade, 
"Wharton's  Brigade, 


♦End  of  an  Era,  .T.  S.  Ayise. 


296  The  Military  History  of 

"Corps  of  Cadets, 
"Artillery, 

(trr\ 

1  rain. 

"II.  Col.  Harman  will  keep  his  wagons  and  move  in  rear,  but 
marching  as  fast  as  possible. 

"Ambulances  and  medical  wagons  will  move  immediately  in  rear 
of  their  respective  commands. 

"Ammunition  wagons  will  move  in  rear  of  the  artillery.  It  will 
be  regarded  as  a  standing  order  that  the  wagons  move  in  the  order 
of  their  commands. 

"III.  Brigadier-General  Wharton  will  detail  two  companies, 
with  a  field-officer  as  guard  for  the  train. 

"IV.  The  order  of  march  must  be  closer  than  it  was  to-day,  and 
the  trains  must  be  kept  well  closed  up.  Straggling  and  wandering 
into  houses  and  grounds  on  the  roadside  by  the  officers  and  men  will 
be  stopped  at  once.  Commanding  officers  will  require  the  medical 
officers  to  march  with  their  commands  in  their  proper  positions,  and 
allow  no  one  to  fall  behind  but  upon  surgeon's  certificate. 

"V.  Commanding  officers  will  throw  out  small  pickets  on  the 
roads  leading  to  their  encampments. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  Breckinridge, 

"J.  Stoddard  Johnston, 

"A.  A.-G."* 

"Pressing  on  through  Harrisonburg,  which  we 
reached  early  in  the  morning,  we  camped  the  second 
night  (14th)  at  Mount  Tabor,  in  Shenandoah;  rain  had 
set  in,  but  the  boys  stood  up  well  to  their  work,  and  but 
few  lame  ducks  succumbed."** 

During  the  day  Moor's  force  gained  contact  with 
Imboden's  brigade  near  Mount  Jackson,  and,  forcing 
it  across  the  Shenandoah,  seized  the  bridge,  then  fol- 
lowed the  retreating  Confederates  seven  miles  up  the 
Valley  to  New  Market. 

"Evidences  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy  multiplied 
throughout  the  day.  We  passed  a  great  many  vehicles 
coming  up  the  Valley  with  people  and  farm  products 
and  household  effects,  and  a  number  of  herds  of  cattle 
and  other  livestock,  all  escaping  from  the  Union  troops ; 
now  and  then  a  weary  or  wounded  cavalryman  came  by. 
Their  reports  were  that  Sigel's  steady  advance  was  only 

*From    the    original    in    General    Shipp's    possession. 
••End  of  an  Era.  J.  S.  Wise. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  297 

delayed  by  a  thin  line  of  cavalry  skirmishers,  who  had 
been  ordered  to  retard  him  as  best  they  could,  until 
Breckinridge  could  march  his  army  down  to  meet  him. 

"Towards  evening,  we  came  to  a  stone  church  and 
spring,  where  a  cavalry  detail  with  a  squad  of  Union 
prisoners  were  resting.  The  prisoners  were  a  gross, 
surly-looking  lot  of  Germans,  who  could  not  speak 
English.  They  evidently  could  not  make  us  out.  They 
watched  us  with  manifest  curiositj^  and  talked  in  un- 
intelligible, gutteral  sounds  among  themselves. 

"When  we  reached  camp,  the  rain  had  stopped  and 
the  clouds  had  lifted,  but  everything  was  wet  and 
gummy.  Looking  down  the  Valley,  as  evening  closed 
in,  we  could  see  a  line  of  bivouac  fires,  and  were  un- 
certain whether  they  were  lit  by  our  own  pickets,  or  by 
the  enemy.  At  any  rate,  we  were  getting  sufficiently 
near  to  the  gentlemen  whom  we  were  seeking  to  feel 
reasonably  certain  we  should  meet  them. 

"Night  closed  in  upon  us ;  for  a  little  while  the  wood- 
land resounded  with  the  axe-stroke,  or  the  cheery  halloos 
of  the  men  from  camp-fire  to  camp-fire ;  for  a  while  the 
fire  lights  danced,  the  air  laden  with  the  odor  of  cook- 
ing food;  for  a  while  the  boys  stood  around  the  camp 
fires  for  warmth,  and  to  dry  their  wet  clothing ;  but  soon 
all  had  wrapped  their  blankets  around  them  and  lain 
down  in  silence,  unbroken  save  by  the  champing  of  the 
Colonel's  horse  upon  his  provender,  or  the  fall  of  a  pass- 
ing shower."* 

Thus  bivouacked  the  command  from  which  the 
next  day  so  many  were  called  to  their  final  sleep.  Boys 
they  may  have  been  who  dozed  off  to  Nature's  lullaby 
that  night,  on  the  damp  pallet  of  the  soft  fields — a 
couch,  as  we  have  seen,  by  no  means  unfamiliar  to  them 
— but  ere  another  sunset  they  had  grown  to  the  stature 
of  men — heroic  men — to  whom  the  veterans  no  longer 
sang  "Rock-a-bye,  Baby,"  as  they  had  done  upon  the 
arrival  of  the  Corps  in  Staunton. 

♦End  of  an  Era,  J.  S.  Wise.  Most  of  the  cadets  slept  in  the  stone  church 
at  Mount  Tabor. 


298  The  Military  History  of 

Moor's  success  in  driving  Imboden  back  upon  New 
Market  was  Sigel's  undoing,  for  having  first  determined 
to  make  the  stand  at  JMount  Jackson,  on  the  night  of 
the  1 4th,  he  found  his  army  divided  by  a  distance  of 
nineteen  miles,  one  part  at  Woodstock  and  the  other  at 
New  Market.  Early  the  next  morning  he  ordered  his 
remaining  troops  to  advance,  and  by  10  a.  m.  they 
reached  Slount  Jackson.  At  this  point  he  received  dis- 
patches from  Moor  advising  him  of  the  excellent  posi- 
tion at  New  3Iarket,  seven  miles  up  the  Valley.  He  now 
wavered,  and  then  decided  to  strike  out  for  New  Market, 
reaching  that  point  himself  about  noon,  but  soon  per- 
ceived that  he  would  not  be  able  to  consolidate  his  com- 
mand in  time  to  use  its  full  strength  during  the  day. 
He,  therefore,  faltered  again,  and,  instead  of  fighting 
a  delaying  action  in  the  position  Moor  held,  ordered  his 
advance-guard  commander  to  fall  back  slowly,  in  the 
hope  of  effecting  a  speedier  junction  between  the  two 
parts  of  his  army.  It  seems  clear  now  that  he  should 
either  have  allowed  Moor  to  show  a  firm  front,  or  have 
ordered  him  to  retire  rapidly  to  Mount  Jackson,  thereby 
reaping  the  advantages  of  disorder  among  the  pursuers. 

"In  1864,  the  town  of  New  Market  consisted  of  two 
or  three  rows  of  houses  built  along  the  turnpike  which 
runs  northeast  through  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  It 
possessed  a  certain  strategic  importance,  in  that  it  lay 
at  the  intersection  of  the  Valley  Turnpike  and  the  road 
which  runs  to  Luray.  To  the  west  of  the  pike  is  the 
north  fork  of  the  Shenandoah.  At  the  river  there  are 
high  bluffs  from  which  the  land  slopes  gradually  down 
towards  the  pike;  while  from  New  Market  the  coimtry, 
rising  slowly  to  the  north  and  abruptly  to  the  southwest, 
culminates  in  two  hills,  on  which,  at  one  time  or  another, 
the  opposing  armies  made  their  stand.  To  the  south 
the  Confederates  were  posted  on  Shirley's  Hill,  to  the 
north  the  Federal  forces  occupied  Bushong's  Hill,  and, 
at  the  close  of  the  battle,  Rude's  Hill,  some  distance  to 
the  rear.  In  1864,  these  hills  were  pastures  and  wheat 
fields,  intersected  now  and  then  bv  fences  and  stone 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  299 

walls.  Between  Shirley's  Hill  and  Bushong's  Hill,  in 
one  place  there  was  a  shallow  ravine.  The  scene  which 
was  closed  by  the  river  bluffs  on  the  west,  was  shut  in 
on  the  east  by  the  Massanutten  Mountain,  a  mile  or 
more  to  the  east  of  the  pike,  approach  to  which  was 
rendered  difficult  by  intervening  marches  and  wood- 
lands. Between  the  pike  and  the  moimtain,  Smith's 
Creek,  a  small  stream,  flows  northward  to  empty  into 
the  Shenandoah.  On  the  west,  then,  was  the  river,  on 
the  east  the  moimtain ;  to  the  north  and  to  the  south  the 
hills  seized  ])y  the  hostile  forces;  down  the  middle  ran 
the  turnpike,  and  in  the  center  lay  the  town  of  New 
Market. 

"During  the  day  preceding,  May  14th.  the  Con- 
federates under  Imboden  had  been  resisting  the  ad- 
vance of  the  Federal  troops ;  but,  after  sharp  skirmishes, 
they  had  been  forced  to  fall  back  before  what  they  re- 
ported as  overwhelming  numbers,  and  the  van  of  the 
Federal  Army  had  crossed  the  river.  This  was  while 
Imboden,  going  to  meet  General  Breckinridge,  had  left 
Colonel  George  H.  Smith  of  the  62d  Virginia  in  com- 
mand.* Imboden  says  that  the  advance  of  the  Federals 
had  been  so  cautious  that  he  did  not  believe  that  Sigel 
would  cross  the  Shenandoah  on  the  14th.  When  this 
occurred,  however,  he  galloped  back  with  orders  to  hold 
the  town  at  all  hazards.  He  found  that  Colonel  Smith 
had  admirably  disposed  his  troops.  New  Market  was 
held  during  the  day,  and  an  artillery  duel  maintained 
with  the  enemy.  On  the  evening  of  the  14th,  Breckin- 
ridge ordered  Imboden  to  continue  falling  back,  hoping 
thus  to  lure  Sigel  on  to  attack  the  Confederate  Army 
in  some  strong  position  south  of  New  Market.  In  this 
he  failed,  for,  by  morning  of  the  15th,  the  Federal  forces 
had  occupied  the  town,  and  from  thence  advanced  no 
farther,  except  that  the  skirmish  line  was  sent  a  little 
to  the  south.  That  Breckinridge  still  desired  to  be  at- 
tacked is  shown  by  the  fact  that  he  ordered  Imboden 
forward  to  charge  the  enemy  and  then  retreat,  hoping 

♦Colonel  Smith  was  graduated  from   the   Institute   in   the   Class  of  '53. 


300  The  Military  History  of 

thus  to  lure  them  into  a  pursuit.  Imboden  tried  it  a 
number  of  times,  but  in  vain.  That  being  so,  Breckin- 
ridge, true  to  the  plan  which  he  had  so  far  followed, 
took  the  initiative  once  more,  and  made  ready  for  attack 
on  the  enemy  in  their  own  position."* 

"An  hour  past  midnight  the  sound  of  hoofs  upon 
the  pike  caught  my  ear,  and  in  a  few  moments  the 
challenge  of  the  sentry  summoned  me.  The  newcomer 
was  an  aide-de-camp  bearing  orders  for  Colonel  Shipp 
from  the  commanding  General.  When  I  aroused  the 
Commandant  he  struggled  up,  rubbed  his  eyes,  muttered 
something  about  moving  at  once,  and  ordered  me  to 
arouse  the  camp  without  having  the  drums  beaten. 
Orders  to  fall  in  were  promptly  given,  rolls  were  rattled 
off,  the  Battalion  formed,  and  we  debouched  upon  the 
pike,  heading  in  the  darkness  and  mud  for  New 
Market." 

Before  taking  up  the  march  the  Commandant  re- 
quested Colonel  Gilliam,  who  had  accompanied  the 
Corps  as  a  representative  of  the  Superintendent,  to  de- 
liver a  prayer,  but  Colonel  Gilham  suggested  that 
Captain  Preston  be  called  upon  to  do  this.  A  cadet  who 
was  present  describes  the  incident  as  folloAvs: 

"Before  the  command  to  march  was  given,  a  thing 
occurred  which  made  a  deep  impression  upon  us  all — 
a  thing  which  even  now  may  be  a  solace  to  those  whose 
boys  died  so  gloriously  that  day.  In  the  gloom  of  the 
night.  Captain  Frank  Preston,  neither  afraid  nor 
ashamed  to  pray,  sent  up  an  appeal  to  God  for  His  pro- 
tection of  our  little  band;  it  was  an  himible,  earnest 
petition  that  sunk  into  the  heart  of  every  hearer.  F(iw 
were  the  dry  eyes,  little  the  frivolity,  when  he  had  ceased 
to  speak  of  home,  of  father,  of  mother,  of  country,  of 
victory  and  defeat,  of  hfe,  of  death,  of  eternity.  Captain 
Preston  had  been  an  officer  in  Stonewall  Jackson's  com- 
mand; had  lost  an  arm  at  Winchester;  was  on  the  re- 
tired list;  and  was  sub-professor  of  Latin,  and  tactical 
officer  of  B  Company;  those  who,  a  few  hours  later, 

*The  New  Market  Campaign,  Edward  Raymond  Turner. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  301 

saw  him  commanding  his  company  in  the  thickest  of  the 
fight,  his  ah'eady  empty  sleeve  attesting  that  he  was  no 
stranger  to  the  perilous  edge  of  battle,  realized  fully  the 
beauty  of  the  lines  which  tell  that  'the  braA-est  are  the 
tenderest,  the  loving  are  the  daring.' 

"Day  broke  gray  and  gloomy  upon  us  toiling  onward 
in  the  mud.  The  sober  course  of  our  reflections  was 
relieved  by  the  light-heartedness  of  the  veterans.  We 
overtook  Wharton's  Brigade,  with  smiling  'Old  Gabe,' 
like  Echols,  a  Virginia  Mihtary  Institute  'boy,'  at  their 
head.  They  were  squatting  by  the  roadside  cooking 
breakfast  as  we  came  up.  With  many  good-natured 
gibes  they  restored  our  confidence;  they  seemed  as 
merry,  nonchalant,  and  indifferent  to  the  coming  fight 
as  if  it  were  their  daily  occupation.  A  tall,  round- 
shouldered  fellow,  whose  legs  seemed  almost  split  up 
to  his  shoulder-blades,  came  among  us  with  a  pair  of 
shears  and  a  pack  of  playing  cards,  offering  to  take 
our  names  and  cut  love-locks  to  be  sent  home  after  we 
were  dead;  another  inquired  if  we  wanted  rosewood 
coffins,  satin-lined,  with  name  and  age  on  the  plate.  In 
a  word,  they  made  us  ashamed  of  the  depressing 
solemnity  of  our  last  six  miles  of  marching,  and  renewed 
within  our  breasts  the  true  dare-devil  spirit  of  soldiery. 

"Resuming  the  march,  the  mile  posts  numbered  four, 
three,  two,  one  mile  to  New  Market ;  then,  the  mounted 
skirmishers  hurried  past  us  to  their  position  at  the  front. 
We  heard  loud  cheering  at  the  rear,  which  was  caught 
up  by  the  troops  along  the  line  of  march.  We  learned 
its  import  as  General  John  C.  Breckinridge  and  staff 
approached;  and  we  joined  heartily  in  the  cheering  as 
the  soldierly  man,  mounted  magnificently,  galloped 
past,  uncovered,  bowing,  and  riding  like  a  Cid.  It  is 
impossible  to  exaggerate  the  gallant  appearance  of 
General  Breckinridge.  In  stature  he  was  considerably 
over  six  feet  high.  He  sat  his  blood-bay  thoroughbred 
as  if  he  had  been  born  on  horseback;  his  head  was  of  a 
noble  mould,  and  a  piercing  eye  and  long,  dark,  droop- 
ing mustache  completed  a  faultless  military  presence. 


302  The  Military  History  of 

"Deplojxd  along  the  crest  of  an  elevation  in  our  front, 
we  could  see  our  line  of  mounted  pickets  and  the  smoul- 
dering fires  of  their  last  night's  bivouac.  We  halted  at 
a  point  where  passing  a  sliglit  turn  in  the  road  would 
bring  us  in  full  view  of  the  position  of  the  enemy. 
Echols's  and  Wharton's  brigades  hurried  past  us. 
'Forward!'  was  the  word  once  more,  and,  turning  the 
point  in  the  road.  New  Market  was  in  full  view,  and  the 
whole  position  was  displayed."* 

Thus  did  the  Corps  of  Cadets  actually  arrive  on  its 
third  field  of  battle ;  but  this  time  it  was  not  to  be  denied 
a  glorious  reward  for  the  hardships  it  had  borne,  though 
dear  was  the  price  it  paid. 

*Bnd  of  an  Era,   J.   S.   Wise. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  303 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE    BATTLE   OF   NEW    MARKET,    MAY    1 0,    1864 

"The  battle  of  New  Market  may  be  divided  into 
three  parts:  first,  the  struggle  between  the  Confederates 
and  the  first,  or  advanced,  position  of  the  Federal  Army, 
for  the  most  part  an  artillery  duel,  lasting  for  an  hour 
or  more,  just  before  midday;  second,  the  struggle  be- 
tween the  advancing  Confederates  and  the  larger  part 
of  the  Federal  Army  posted  in  the  chosen  position  of 
Bushong's  Hill,  to  the  north  of  the  town ;  and  third,  the 
pursuit  of  the  Federal  forces  to  Rude's  Hill,  and  after- 
wards until  they  had  crossed  the  Shenandoah  River. 

"In  the  arrangement  and  handling  of  his  troops, 
Breckinridge  displayed  dexterity  and  judgment.  While 
yet  upon  Shirley's  Hill,  he  marched  and  counter- 
marched his  men  in  sight  of  the  enemy,  with  the  pur- 
pose, it  would  seem,  of  magnifying  his  numbers. 
Having  made  his  army  seem  more  numerous  than  it 
really  was,  he  completed  the  deception  by  arranging  his 
troops  in  three  lines.  The  first  line  consisted  of  the 
51st  Virginia  Regiment  (Lieutenant-Colonel  Wolfe), 
and  the  30th  Virginia  Battalion  and  62 d  Virginia  Regi- 
ment (Colonel  George  H.  Smith),  these  regiments  be- 
ing under  the  command  of  Brigadier- General  Gabriel  C. 
Wharton;  the  second  line  was  made  up  of  the  22d  Vir- 
ginia Regiment  (Colonel  George  S.  Patton),  and  the 
23d  Virginia  Battalion  (Lieutenant-Colonel  Clarence 
Derrick)  ;  the  third  and  last  line  comprised  the  26th 
Virginia  Battalion  (Lieutenant-Colonel  George  M. 
Edgar),  and  the  Cadets  of  the  Virginia  Military  Insti- 
tute  (Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott  Shipp)."* 

"The  battle  began  with  the  firing  of  artillery  and  the 
advance  of  the  Confederate  skirmishers,  the  30th  Vir- 


*Smith,  V.  M.  I.,  '53  ;    Wharton,  V.  M.  I.,  '47  ;    Patton,  V.  M.  I.,  '52  ;    Edgar, 
V.    M.    I.,   '56;    Shipp,   V.    M.    I.,    '59;    Echols,   V.    M.    I.,    '43. 


304  The  Military  History  of 

ginia  Battalion  of  Colonel  Lyle  Clarke,  and  sharp- 
shooters, who  gradually  drove  in  the  Federal  skirmishers 
from  their  advanced  position  to  the  south  of  New 
Market.  Meanwhile  some  of  the  Confederates  were  en- 
gaged in  throwing  up  a  hasty  breastwork  of  rails,  brush, 
and  earth,  at  right  angles  to  the  pike,  so  that  there  might 
be  a  Hue  back  of  which  to  rally  in  case  of  need."* 

As  the  Corps  of  Cadets  came  upon  the  field,  a  thrill- 
ing panorama  spread  out  before  it."** 

"It  was  Sunday  morning  at  eleven  o'clock.  In  a 
picturesque  little  Lutheran  churchyard,  under  the  very 
shadow  of  the  village  spire  and  among  the  white  tomb- 
stones, a  six-gun  battery  was  posted  in  rear  of  the  in- 
fantry lines  of  the  enemy.  Firing  over  the  heads  of 
their  own  troops,  that  battery  opened  upon  us  the 
moment  we  came  in  sight. 

"Away  off  to  the  right,  in  Luray  Gap,  we  could  see 
our  Signal  Corps  telegraphing  the  position  and  numbers 
of  the  enemy.  Our  cavalry  was  galloping  to  the  cover 
of  the  creek  to  attempt  to  turn  the  enemy's  left  flank. 
Echols's  Brigade,  moving  from  the  pike  at  a  double- 
quick  by  the  right  flank,  went  into  line  of  battle  across 
the  meadow,  its  left  resting  on  the  pike.  Simul- 
taneously, its  skirmishers  were  thrown  forward  at  a  run, 
and  engaged  the  enemy.  Out  of  the  orchard  and  on  the 
meadows,  puff  after  puff  of  blue  smoke  rose  as  the 
sharpshooters  advanced,  the  pop,  pop,  pop  of  their  rifles 
ringing  forth  excitingly.  Thundering  down  the  pike 
came  McLaughlin  with  his  artillery.  Wheeling  out 
upon  the  meadows,  he  swmig  into  battery,  action  left, 
and  let  fly  with  all  his  gims. 

"The  cadet  section  of  artillery  pressed  down  the  pike 
a  httle  farther,  turned  to  the  left,  toiled  up  the  slope  in 
front  of  us,  and,  going  into  position,  delivered  a  plung- 
ing fire  in  reply  to  the  Federal  battery  (Von  Kleiser's) 
in  the  graveyard.  We  counted  it  a  good  omen  when, 
at  the  first  discharge  of  our  little  guns,  a  beautiful  blue- 
white  wreath  of  smoke  shot  upward  and  hovered  over 

♦Turner. 

**End  of  an  Era,  J.  S.  Wise. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  305 

them.  The  town,  which  a  moment  before  had  seemed  to 
sleep  peaceably  upon  that  Sabbath  morning,  was  now 
wrapped  in  battle-smoke  and  was  swarming  with  troops 
hurrying  to  their  positions.  We  had  their  range  beauti- 
fully. Every  shell  hit  some  obstruction,  and  exploded 
in  the  streets,  or  on  the  hillsides.  Every  man  in  our 
army  was  in  sight.  Every  position  of  the  enemy  was 
plainly  visible.  His  numbers  were  uncomfortably 
large;  for,  notwithstanding  his  line  of  battle  already 
formed  seemed  equal  to  our  own,  the  pike  beyond  the 
town  was  still  filled  with  his  infantry."* 

"The  Federal  forces  in  their  first,  or  advanced,  posi- 
tion, in  and  about  New  Market,  were  commanded  by 
Colonel  Augustus  Moor,  and  consisted  of  the  1st  New 
York  Cavalry;  the  cavalry  of  Colonel  John  E.  Wyn- 
koop,  numbering  about  300,  and  made  up  of  detach- 
ments of  the  15th  New  York,  20th  Pennsylvania,  and 
22d  Pennsylvania ;  the  34th  Regiment  of  Massachusetts 
Infantry,  Colonel  George  D.  Wells;  the  1st  West  Vir- 
ginia, Lieutenant- Colonel  Jacob  Weddle;  and  the  123d 
Ohio  Regiment,  Major  Horace  Kellogg.  There  were 
also  two  sections  of  Battery  B,  Snow's  Maryland 
Artillery,  comprising  four  guns."** 

The  Cadet  Battalion  was  deployed  under  cover  of  the 
rear  crest  of  Shirley's  Hill,  by  the  left  flank  from  the 
pike,  and,  moving  out  at  double-quick,  was  soon  in  line 
of  battle,  with  its  right  resting  near  the  road,  and  con- 
cealed from  the  enemy  by  the  crest  of  the  hill  in  front. 
It  was  while  in  this  position  that  General  Breckinridge 
with  his  staff  rode  by  and  gave  the  Commandant  of 
Cadets  his  orders  to  the  effect  that  his  command  would 
form  the  reserve,  and  suggested  that  he  dismount,  as 
that  was  what  all  the  field-officers  would  do.  The  Com- 
mandant then  took  occasion  to  express  his  hope  that 
the  cadets,  after  so  much  marching  and  so  many 
previous  disappointments,  would  not  be  denied  a  chance 
to  take  part  in  the  action.    Whereupon,  the  command- 

•Consiilt  map  of  battlefield  from  now  on. 
♦♦Turner. 


20 


306  The  Military  History  of 

ing  general  said  he  did  not  wish  to  expose  them  un- 
necessarily, but  would  use  them  very  freely,  were  de- 
velopments such  as  to  justify  it. 

"The  command  was  given  to  strip  for  action;  knap- 
sacks, blankets — everything  but  guns,  canteens  and 
cartridge  boxes  was  thrown  upon  the  ground.  Every 
lip  was  tightly  drawn,  every  cheek  pale,  but  none  with 
fear.  With  a  peculiar,  nervous  jerk,  we  pulled  our 
cartridge  boxes  round  to  the  front,  laid  back  the  flaps, 
and  tightened  belts.  Whistling  rifled  shells  screamed 
over  us,  as  tipping  the  hill  crest  in  our  front,  they 
bounded  past."* 

Under  the  acciu'ate  and  effective  fire  of  the  Con- 
federate guns.  Von  Kleiser's  Battery  was  soon  com- 
pelled to  withdraw  from  the  graveyard  up  the  pike. 
"The  18th  Connecticut  Regiment  had  now  come  up  to 
Moor's  assistance,  and,  shortly  after,  Major-General 
Stahel  with  the  remainder  of  the  cavalry.  There  was 
some  fighting  in  the  streets  of  New  Market  and  about 
the  town,  but  shortly  after  noon.  General  Sigel  arrived 
upon  the  scene  and  decided  to  form  his  lines  upon  the 
hill  (Bushong's)  north  of  the  town.  Accordingly,  the 
Federal  troops  abandoned  their  first  position.  This 
part  of  the  engagement  was  followed  by  heavy  artillery 
firing  on  both  sides,  which  lasted  for  some  time,  but  did 
comparatively  little  damage."* 

The  Confederate  Artillery  consisted  of  Chapman's 
Battery,  two  6-pounder  guns  and  four  12-pounder 
howitzers;  two  sections  of  Jackson's  Battery,  four  6- 
pounder  guns ;  McClannahan's  six  3-inch  rifles ;  and  the 
Cadet  3-inch  rifled  section  under  Cadet  Collier  H. 
Minge  of  A  Company,  all  under  the  command  of  Major 
William  McLaughlin.  This  was  the  first  time  a  cadet 
had  commanded  the  artillery  of  the  Corps  in  the  field, 
Captain  Semmes,  or  Captain  T.  H.  Smith,  having  been 
detailed  in  charge  of  the  section  by  the  Commandant  on 
previous  occasions. 

♦End  of  an  Era,  J.  S.  Wise.     This  is  an  error.     The  Battalion  did  not  strip 
for  action  at  this  point  as  we  shall  see. 
**  Turner. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  307 

The  second  stage  of  the  battle  was  marked  by  the 
advance  of  the  Confederates,  between  1  and  2  p.  m.,  to 
the  attack  of  the  new  Federal  position  on  Bushong's 
Hill. 

As  the  original  Confederate  left  and  center  which  had 
been  formed  on  the  face  of  Shirley's  Hill  pressed  for- 
ward, the  26th  Battalion  moved  from  the  third  into  the 
second  line,  forming  on  the  left  of  the  62d  Regiment, 
leaving  the  cadets  alone  in  the  third  line  as  reserve.  As 
the  attack  developed,  the  26th  Battalion,  due  to  the  wid- 
ening of  the  front  and  the  contraction  of  the  line  of 
battle  towards  the  center,  worked  its  way  into  the  first 
line  on  the  left  of  the  51st  Regiment,  and  moved  along 
Indian  Hollow  next  to  the  river. 

"Up  to  this  time,  although  the  Cadet  Artillery  had 
done  good  service  in  helping  to  silence  the  Federal 
battery  in  New  Market,  the  Cadet  Corps  had  taken 
no  part,  but  had  been  held  in  the  rear.  .  .  .  Now, 
however,  when  the  Confederate  commander  marshalled 
his  scanty  numbers,  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  spare 
any  of  his  forces,  and  the  cadets  were  ordered  to  the  im- 
mediate rear  of  the  main  lines,  so  that  as  the  army  went 
forward  they  also  came  under  fire.  This  order  they  had 
awaited  eagerly,  as  there  were  few  of  them  who  did 
not  burn  to  take  part  in  the  fight."* 

"  *At-ten-tion-n-n!  Battalion  forward!  Guide  Cen- 
ter-r-r,'  shouted  Shipp,  and  up  the  slope  we  started. 
From  the  left  of  the  line,  Sergeant-Ma j  or  Woodbridge 
ran  out  and  posted  himself  forty  paces  in  advance  of  the 
colors,  as  directing  guide,  as  if  we  had  been  upon  the 
drill-groimd.  That  boy  would  have  remained  there, 
had  not  Shipp  ordered  him  back  to  his  post;  for  this 
was  no  dress  parade.  Brave  Evans,  standing  six  feet 
two,  shook  out  the  colors  that  for  days  had  hung  limp 
and  bedraggled  about  the  staff,  and  every  cadet  leaped 
forward,  dressing  to  the  ensign  and  thrilling  with  the 
consciousness  that  this  was  war. 


♦Turner. 


308  The  Military  History  of 

"Moving  up  to  the  hill  crest  in  our  front,  we  were 
abreast  of  our  smoking  battery,  and  uncovered  to  the 
range  of  the  enemy's  guns.  We  were  pressing  towards 
him  at  'arms  port',  moving  with  the  light,  tripping  gait 
of  the  French  infantry.  The  enemy's  veteran  artillery 
soon  obtained  our  range,  and  began  to  drop  shells  under 
our  very  noses  along  the  slope.  Echols's  Brigade  rose 
up,  and  was  charging  on  our  right  front  with  the  well- 
known  rebel  yell. 

"Down  the  green  slope  we  went,  answering  the  wild 
cry  of  our  comrades  as  their  muskets  rattled  in  opening 
volleys.  'Double  time!'  shouted  Shipp,  and  we  broke 
into  a  long  trot.  In  another  moment,  a  pelting  rain  of 
lead  would  fall  upon  us  from  the  blue  line  in  our 
front."*  In  a  few  minutes  a  shell  from  one  of  Carlin's 
guns  on  Bushong's  Hill  burst  just  in  front  of  the  line, 
and  Captain  A.  Govan  Hill,  Tactical  Officer  of  C 
Company,  and  four  cadets,  Corporal  Wise,  J.  S.,  D 
Co.,  Private  Woodlief,  P.  W.,  Jr.,  B  Co.,  and  Privates 
Merritt,  J.  L.,  and  Read,  C.  H.,  Jr.,  of  C  Co.,  were 
struck  to  the  ground. 

Breckinridge's  left  and  center  were  now  in  echelon, 
with  its  left  against  the  river  bluff,  slightly  overlapping, 
and  several  himdred  yards  in  advance  of  the  left  of  the 
center  echelon,  the  right  of  which  extended  toward  the 
pike.  As  the  Corps  of  Cadets  moved  forward  from 
under  the  cover  of  Shirley's  Hill  and  down  its  forward 
face,  it  found  itself  well  behind  the  left  of  the  rear 
echelon,  but  rapidly  closed  up  the  distance  as  it  swung 
forward  down  Shirley's  Hill.  Across  the  turnpike,  be- 
yond the  center,  or  the  second  echelon,  were  the  23d  and 
18th  Virginia  Regiments,  McNeill's  Rangers,  two 
sections  of  McClannahan's  Battery,  and  various  small 
detachments  of  Imboden's  Cavalry,  while  McLaughHn 
moved  forward  along  the  pike  abreast  of  the  battle 
line,  with  the  fourteen  guns  under  his  immediate  com- 
mand, firing  from  successive. positions. 

•End  of  an  Era,  J.   S.  Wise. 


The  Virginia  Militaey  Institute         309 

In  the  first  stage  of  the  battle,  then,  Breckinridge 
formed  his  line  as  follows : 

51st  Va.,  30th  Va.,  62d  Va.  Artillery, 

22d  Va.,  23d  Va. 
26th  Va.,  Cadets. 

Upon  moving  to  the  attack  of  Bushong's  Hill,  the 
following  formation  was  taken  up : 

61st  Va.,  30th  Va.,  62d  Va. 

NEW  MARKET 

26th  Va.,  22d  Va.,  Artillery, 

(4  guns),  23d  Va.,  18th  Va.  Cavalry, 
Cadets. 

The  Federals  had  occupied  a  position  of  great  natural 
strength  along  the  brow  of  Bushong's  Hill,  with  the 
right  resting  on  the  precipitous  wooded  river  bluff,  and 
the  left  resting  near  the  pike  and  partly  protected  by 
thick  cedar  thickets  and  woods  occupying  the  space  be- 
tween the  pike  and  Smith's  Creek,  and  extending  on  be- 
yond to  the  base  of  the  steep  mountain  side.  The  field 
of  fire  to  the  front  was  almost  unobstructed  from  right 
to  left,  and  stone  fences  afforded  partial  cover  for  the 
infantry.  The  approach  to  the  Federal  center  was 
across  a  large  wheat  field,  deep  with  mud.  In  front 
of  the  left  center  were  numerous  scattered  scrub  cedars. 

Four  hundred  yards  to  the  front  of  his  main  position, 
Sigel  placed  the  123d  Ohio  and  18th  Connecticut,  of 
Moor's  Brigade,  the  left  of  the  former  resting  on  the 
pike  and  the  latter  prolonging  the  line  to  its  right ;  Von 
Kleiser's  30th  New  York  Battery,  with  six  12-pounder 
Napoleons,  took  position  across  the  pike,  and  abreast 
of  Moor's  right. 

In  the  second,  or  main  line,  D  Battery,  1st  West  Vir- 
ginia, Captain  John  Carlin,  and  B  Battery,  Maryland, 
Captain  Alonzo  Snow,  each  with  six  3-inch  rifled  guns, 
occupied  the  high  ground  near  the  river  bluff ;  and,  then, 
in  order,  to  the  left  were  posted  the  34th  Massachusetts, 


310  The  Military  History  of 

the  1st  West  Virginia,  the  a4th  Pennsylvania,  Cx 
Battery,  1st  West  Virginia,  Captain  C.  T.  Ewing,  with 
four  3-inch  rifles.  A  company  of  the  34th  Massachusetts 
was  assigned  as  a  support  for  CarHn's  and  Snow's 
Batteries;  the  12th  West  Virginia  was  held  in  reserve, 
some  distance  behind  the  artillery  group,  and  Stahel's 
cavalry  guarded  the  left  rear,  beyond  the  pike  and  over 
by  Smith's  Creek.  The  28th  and  116th  Ohio  Regiments 
were  near  Mount  Jackson,  and  B  Battery,  5th  U.  S. 
Artillery,  Captain  H.  A.  du  Pont,  remained  in  position 
at  the  crossing  of  the  river. 

No  sooner  did  the  Confederate  infantry  come  into  the 
open  than  the  well-served  Federal  batteries  opened 
upon  it  with  vigor  and  accuracy.  But  the  echelons 
moved  forward  rapidly,  while  Imboden  reconnoitered  a 
route  by  which  to  move  his  cavalry  across  Smith's  Creek, 
under  cover  of  the  thicket  intervening  between  Stahel's 
Cavalry  and  the  extreme  Confederate  right.  Finding 
such  a  path,  Imboden  led  the  18th  Virginia  Cavalry  and 
McClannahan's  four  guns  down  the  Luray  road  over 
the  creek;  and,  from  the  crossing  under  cover  of  a  low 
hill,  he  gained  a  position  immediately  upon  Stahel's  left 
flank.  At  this  point,  the  guns  were  unlimbered  and 
opened  a  rapid  fire  at  short  range  upon  the  opposing 
horsemen  bej^ond  the  creek;  whereupon,  the  Federal 
Cavalry  retired  in  haste.  McClannahan  now  opened  a 
long  range  enfilading  fire  upon  Von  Kleiser's  Battery 
and  Moor's  left  near  the  pike,  which  was  most  discon- 
certing, as  such  a  fire  is  well  calculated  to  be. 

In  the  meantime,  the  Confederate  infantry  west  of 
the  pike  had  resolutely  pressed  forward,  and  now  drove 
Sigel's  advanced  line,  under  Moor,  from  its  position. 
The  regiments  composing  this  line  fled  precipitately 
upon  the  approach  of  the  Confederates,  carrying  con- 
fusion to  those  posted  at  the  main  position,  and  Von 
Kleiser  was  compelled  to  limber  up  with  his  battery, 
which  had  inflicted  severe  loss  upon  the  assailants.  The 
23d  Virginia  Battalion  now  occupied  the  space  between 
the  pike  and  the  creek,  beyond  which  Imboden's  Cavalry 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  311 

and  McClannahan's  two  sections  remained.  The  Con- 
federate right  and  center  had  reached  a  point  just  be- 
yond Moor's  abandoned  position,  and  ahnost  abreast 
of  the  Bushong  House,  in  rear  of  which  stood  an 
orchard.  West  and  north  of  the  orchard  was  the  large 
wheat  field  extending  from  the  house  to  the  main 
artillery  group.  By  the  time  the  main  Confederate  line 
reached  Moor's  abandoned  position,  the  cadet  battalion 
had  descended  the  north  face  of  Shirley's  Hill,  and  was 
under  cover  in  the  deep  ravine  running  westward  from 
New  Market.  Here  the  battalion  halted  for  some  time, 
stripped  for  action,  and  filled  canteens  at  a  spring  be- 
side the  road. 

Before  progressing  to  the  third  stage  of  the  action, 
Breckinridge,  perceiving  the  enemy's  artillery  position 
to  be  the  key  of  Sigel's  whole  line,  reinforced  the  first 
echelon  with  the  26th  Virginia  Battalion,  which  he 
moved  from  the  left  of  the  rear  echelon  to  the  left  of 
the  51st  Virginia.  In  the  subsequent  advance,  the  51st 
and  26th  Virginia  moved  to  the  left  of  a  wooded  tongue 
of  highland  which  jutted  forward  from  the  bend  of  the 
river  abreast  of  the  Bushong  House,  parallel  to,  and  at 
a  distance  of  half  a  mile  from,  the  pike. 

With  the  23d  Battalion  extended  in  line  of  skir- 
mishers, supported  by  McLaughlin's  guns  holding  the 
cavalry  of  the  Federal  left  at  bay,  Breckinridge  now 
ordered  the  final  assault. 

As  the  line  advanced,  the  26th  Battalion  moved  for- 
ward along  Indian  Hollow  on  the  left  of  the  51st  Regi- 
ment beyond  the  wooded  hill;  but  the  flat  narrowed  so 
rapidly  it  was  soon  compelled  to  follow  the  51st.  Pro- 
tected by  the  wood  and  the  high  ground  at  first,  the 
51st  Regiment  finally  reached  open  ground,  where  it 
met  a  galling  fire  from  the  sharpshooters  on  the  river 
bluff,  from  Carlin's  and  Snow's  guns,  and  the  company 
of  the  34th  Massachusetts  supporting  them.  Here, 
farther  advance  was  checked.  Meantime,  Colonel 
Patton  with  the  22d  Virginia  and  the  62d  Virginia,  like 
the  regiments  on  the  left,  had  been  checked  and  his 


312  The  Military  History  of 

men  were  lying  under  cover  of  a  deep  fold  in  the  ground 
between  the  Bushong  House  and  the  pike. 

It  has  been  shown  how  the  Confederate  center  and 
left  had  been  brought  to  a  standstill.  We  shall  now  take 
the  words  of  Dr.  Turner  as  to  what  happened,  and  the 
reader,  if  he  be  a  soldier,  will  reach  his  own  conclusion 
as  to  the  importance  of  the  part  played  by  the  Corps  of 

Cadets. 

"It  appeared  as  though  Breckinridge  had  been  over- 
bold and  had  run  upon  disaster.  The  enemy  was  un- 
shaken ;  there  was  a  break  in  the  Confederate  line,  and 
some  of  the  men  were  beginning  to  rush  away  to  the 
rear.  It  was  at  this  critical  juncture  that  the  cadets, 
who  had  been  appointed  to  act  as  a  reserve,  moved  for- 
ward into  the  forefront  of  the  contest  and  filled  up  the 
gap.  They  took  position  between  the  51st  Virginia 
Regiment  and  part  of  the  30th  Battalion,  which  was 
fighting  with  (and  on  the  left  of)  the  62d  Virginia. 
They  had  now  become  part  of  the  first  line  of  battle. 

"The  movements  of  the  cadets  at  this  time  are  known 
somewhat  in  detail.  They  had  preserved  their  order 
splendidly  during  the  heavy  cannon  fire,  and  had 
pressed  forward  in  such  beautiful  alignment  as  to  excite 
the  admiration  of  all  who  saw  them.  It  was  remarked 
by  a  Southern  officer  who  watched  them  from  a  point 
of  vantage  that  they  kept  their  course  as  if  marching 
on  dress  parade.  After  ascending  the  hill  at  the  base 
of  which  they  had  halted,  they  came  to  an  open  field, 
muddy  from  the  rains  and  exceedingly  difficult  to  cross. 
A  slight  confusion  was  caused  by  the  ends  (wings)  of 
the  Battalion  advancing  faster  than  the  center  and  so 
beyond  it,  thus  causing  the  line  hitherto  straight  to  be- 
come curved ;  but  here  was  displayed  admirable  coolness 
and  discipline,  for,  in  the  midst  of  a  terrible  artillery 
fire,  the  line  soon  rectified,  after  which  they  proceeded 
in  as  perfect  order  as  before.* 

*In  advancing  from  the  ravine  tlie  Battalion  was  now  and  then  protected 
by  folds  in  the  ground  from  the  direct  Are  of  the  enemy.  From  the  ravine 
to  the  close  of  the  Bushong  House  is  about  half  a  mile.  The  cadets  were 
exposed  to  direct  fire  the  last  half  of  this  distance,  losing  three  killed  at 
this  stage  of  their  advance,  the  number  including  First  Sergeant  Cabell  of 
D  Co.,  and  Privates  Stanard  and  McDowell  of  B  Co. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  313 

"At  the  edge  of  the  field  was  a  frame  house  with  other 
buildings,  known  b}^  the  name  of  the  owner,  Bushong. 
Beyond  was  an  orchard,  and  then  a  plateau,  which 
formed  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  which  was  also  an  open 
field.  When  the  house  was  reached,  the  cadets  divided. 
Companies  A  and  B  passing  to  the  right,  Companies  C 
and  D  to  the  left.  After  the  line  was  reformed  on  the 
other  side,  they  found  the  grimmest  part  of  their  task 
before  them;  and  it  was  here  that  their  most  terrible 
losses  occurred.  From  the  Federal  position  beyond,  the 
artillery  had  perfect  range,  and  poured  in  a  fire  of 
canister  and  shrapnel,  incessant  and  terrific.  Moreover, 
the  distance  was  now  short,  and  masses  of  Federal 
infantry  played  upon  them  with  incessant  volleys.  Ac- 
cordingly, for  a  time  the  advance  was  halted." 

It  was  at  this  point  of  the  advance,  after  he  had  cor- 
rected the  alignment  of  the  Battalion  by  marking  time, 
just  beyond  the  Bushong  House,  that  the  Commandant, 
always  in  front,  was  struck  on  the  left  shoulder  by  a 
heavy  but  spent  fragment  of  shell,  and  literally  swept 
from  his  feet.  For  a  time  he  was  apparently  stunned, 
though  he  was  not  wounded  except  very  slightly  in  the 
face,  probably  by  a  tiny  piece  of  shell. 

"The  position  of  Sigel's  Army  was  so  well  chosen, 
and  so  well  defended,  that  for  a  while  it  seemed  im- 
possible to  force  it.  During  some  time  the  Confederate 
advance  was  checked,  and  certain  regiments  were  rolled 
back  and  thrown  into  confusion.  The  front  lines  melted 
away  under  the  terrific  fire.  Echols's  men  were  still 
occupied  on  the  right ;  some  of  Wharton's  command  fell 
into  disorder.  From  the  Federal  lines,  the  tide  of  battle 
seemed  to  be  running  strongly  against  the  Confederates. 
Sigel  afterwards  described  this  part  of  the  action  as  a 
very  sharp  conflict,  in  which  the  enemy  charged  re- 
peatedly and  with  determination,  but  were  as  often  re- 
pulsed by  the  bravery  and  coolness  of  his  infantry  on 
the  right.  It  is  the  opinion  of  an  officer  who  watched 
the  struggle  that  had  Sigel  hurled  his  cavalry  into  the 
opening  in  the  advancing  line,  that  is,  between  the  .51st 


314  The  Military  History  of 

and  62d  regiments,  at  this  critical  moment,  the  Con- 
federates would  have  been  put  to  total  route."* 

It  is  well  here  to  note  what  had  liappened  to  the 
Federal  Cavalry.  Not  only  had  Stahel  been  compelled 
to  retire  his  command  out  of  range  of  McClannahan's 
gims,  but  it  had  been  severely  pmiished  by  McLaugh- 
lin's artillery  earlier  in  the  day,  and  was  in  no  condition 
to  be  massed  in  the  open.  Cavalry  simply  can  not  with- 
stand the  fire  of  artillery,  nor  is  it  expected  to  do  so. 
It  was  created  for  other  work,  and  must  leave  the 
infantry  to  face  the  gims.  When  the  Confederate  right 
reached  the  town,  the  men  became  somewhat  disordered 
in  the  streets,  and,  seeing  their  confusion,  Stahel  formed 
some  of  his  men  in  columns  of  platoons,  on  the  pike 
north  of  the  town,  and  ordered  them  forward  at  the 
gallop  to  clear  it  of  the  Confederates.  He  had  failed 
to  observe  McLaughlin's  advance  with  the  infantry,  and 
as  the  troops  pressed  up  the  pike,  the  men  of  Derrick's 
command  scrambled  to  the  sides  of  the  road  and  gave 
the  guns  a  clear  field  of  fire. 

"Heavens!  what  a  blizzard  McLaughlin  gave  themf 
They  staggered,  wheeled  and  fled.  The  road  was  filled 
with  fallen  men  and  horses.  A  few  riderless  steeds  came 
galloping  towards  our  lines,  neighed,  circled  and  re- 
joined their  comrades.  One  daring  fellow,  whose  horse 
became  unmanageable,  rode  straight  at  our  battery  at 
full  speed,  passed  beyond,  behind,  and  around  our  line, 
and  safely  rejoined  his  comrades — cheered  for  his 
courage  by  his  enemies.  This  was  the  end  of  the  cavalry 
in  the  fight."** 

After  this  incident,  Stahel  held  his  cavalry  im- 
mediately in  rear  of  the  Federal  left,  until  Imboden's 
enfilade  fire  compelled  it  to  be  again  retired,  as  ha& 
been  shown. 


•Turner. 

••End  of  an  Era,  J.  S.  Wise. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  315 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE    CHARGE    OF    THE    CADETS 

Returning  to  the  stage  of  the  main  conflict  in  which 
the  Confederate  Hne  of  battle  was  shown  to  have  reached 
a  point  from  which  it  seemed  unable  to  advance,  let  us 
again  quote  Turner: 

"It  is  known  now  that  the  Southern  soldiers  stood 
their  ground  stoutly.  Where  the  wavering  was  at  its 
worst,  most  of  them  seem  to  have  held  their  own  under 
the  cannonade ;  and  from  what  has  come  down  concern- 
ing this  stage  of  the  battle,  the  conduct  of  the  several 
divisions  (commands)  seems  to  have  been  replete  with 
heroic  incidents.  Nevertheless,  here  was  a  moment  of 
greatest  danger. 

"When  the  cadets  reformed  their  line  on  the  north 
side  of  Bushong's  house,  they  filled  in  the  gap  between 
the  51st  Virginia  Regiment  on  their  left  and  the  52d 
Virginia  Regiment,  with  the  attached  companies  of  the 
30th  Virginia  Battalion,  on  their  right.  They  were  in 
the  van  of  the  battle,  and  at  one  time  seem  to  have  been 
in  advance  of  the  other  commands.  To  each  side  their 
comrades  were  suffering  heavily,  especially  the  62d  Vir- 
ginia, to  the  right.  While  the  veterans  around  them 
were  wavering,  \\\ey  also  suffered  fearfully  from  the 
combined  artillery  and  musketry  fire.  The  young 
soldiers  were  falling  right  and  left,  and  for  a  while  it 
seemed  that  they  could  go  no  farther. 

"This  was  one  of  the  most  critical  moments  in  the 
battle  of  New  Market.  Breckinridge  was  in  danger  of 
defeat.  He  had  boldly  taken  the  aggressive,  and,  so 
far,  success  had  attended  his  efforts,  for  he  had  pushed 
a  portion  of  the  Federal  Army  out  of  New  Market,  and 
his  right  wing  had  driven  back  the  Federal  left,  while 
Imboden  had  gained  a  position  on  the  Federal  flank. 


316  The  Military  History  of 

But  Imboden's  men  were  practically  useless  where  they 
were,  and  the  towTi  was  untenable  so  long  as  the  Federal 
forces  remained  on  the  heights  beyond.  To  drive  them 
out,  Breckinridge  had  launched  all  his  remaining 
strength  in  a  frontal  attack,  and  this  attack  seemed  to 
be  meeting  with  failure.  On  the  right,  Echols's  com- 
mands (22d  Regiment,  Col.  Patton,  and  23d  Battalion, 
Major  Derrick)  had  made  little  progress;  on  the  left, 
Wharton's  men  had  advanced  farther  to  within  strik- 
ing distance  of  the  enemy,  but,  with  the  exception  of 
the  26th  Battalion,  had  suffered  so  heavily  as  to  be  com- 
pelled to  fall  back. 

"It  was  at  this  deadly  moment  that  the  cadets  of  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute  pushed  out  into  the  orchard 
beyond  Bushong's  House."* 

Here,  let  us  interpolate  that  Colonel  Edgar  (whose 
26th  Virginia  Battalion  had  been  crowded  out  of  the 
front  line  on  the  left  of  the  51st  before  the  latter  came 
out  into  the  open  on  the  crest  of  the  wooded  tongue  of 
highland,  beyond  which  it  had  progressed  to  a  point 
several  hundred  yards  short  of  the  Bushong  House) 
was  now  leading  his  men  up  out  of  Indian  Hollow  to 
Wharton's  line,  to  the  left  and  rear  of  the  cadets.** 

The  62d  Virginia  had  been  compelled  to  fall  back 
shghtly,  and  seeing  its  movement  to  the  rear,  Sigel  had 
ordered  Von  Kleiser's  Battery  (which  Imboden,  Der- 
rick and  McLaughlin  had  driven  from  the  town)  into 
action  on  the  summit  of  Bushong's  Hill,  at  the  very 
northern  end  of  the  wheat  field  and  opposite  the  cadets, 
for  that  was  the  very  key-point  of  the  Federal  position. 
Wliile  the  Corps  of  Cadets  was  yet  moving  into  position 
behind  the  fence  forming  the  northern  boundary  of  the 
orchard  and  the  southern  boundary  of  the  wheat  field, 
Woodson's  company  of  Missourians  moved  forward 
again  from  the  left  of  the  62d  Virginia,  and  heroically 
assailed  Von  Kleiser's  Battery.  But  while  their  ac- 
curate musketry  fire  temporarily  drove  the  cannoneers 

•Turner,  p.  81. 

**See   Turner,   pp.    50-51. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  317 

from  their  places,  their  numbers  were  inadequate  to  the 
task  they  had  essayed,  and  their  heroism  only  led  to  the 
annihilation  of  the  gallant  company  which  lost  six  killed 
and  54  wounded,  out  of  a  total  of  76  men,  in  a  few 
minutes. 

By  this  time,  the  cadets  had  reached  the  cover  of  the 
fence,  and  Von  Kleiser's  guns  resumed  their  fire. 
Woodson's  effort,  of  course,  had  had  no  effect  upon  the 
fire  of  Carlin's  and  Snow's  batteries,  which  had  fired 
continuously  upon  the  cadets  while  moving  past  the 
Bushong  House  and  through  the  orchard. 

"Close  to  them  (cadets)  now  was  Sigel's  Army  shoot- 
ing from  the  fences  and  cedar  groves,  wliile  nearer  still 
were  the  Federal  batteries  which  had  already  wrought 
such  havoc  in  the  advancing  lines.  The  cadets  seemed 
to  have  rushed  into  certain  destruction.  The  artillery 
concentrated  upon  them  its  fire,  continuous  and  terrific, 
hurling  shells  into  the  orchard  and  tearing  the  trees  to 
pieces.  Their  Commandant,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Shipp, 
was  womided  by  a  piece  of  shell;  whereupon,  there  be- 
gan a  wavering  and  confusion  among  them.  Some  one 
gave  the  order  to  lie  down.  They  obeyed,  and  began 
firing  from  the  ground,  crouching  behind  a  worm  fence 
along  the  northern  edge  of  the  orchard.  But  the  firing 
of  the  cannon  in  front  of  them  continued  with  fearful 
effect,  until  at  last  the  cry  arose  that  they  should  fall 
back  and  rally  on  the  veterans  to  the  rear.  Fortunately, 
this  was  not  done,  hut  the  cadets  continued  to  fire  from 
their  exposed  position,  though  all  the  while  they  were 
being  riddled  f* 

"The  men  were  falling  right  and  left.  The  veterans 
on  the  right  of  the  cadets  seemed  to  waver.  Colonel 
Shipp  went  down.  For  the  first  time,  the  cadets  ap- 
peared irresolute.  Some  one  cried  out,  'Lie  down!'  and 
all  obeyed,  firing  from  the  knee — all  but  Evans,  the 
ensign,  who  was  standing  bolt  upright,  shouting  and 
waving  the  flag.  Some  one  exclaimed,  'Fall  back,  and 
rally  on  Edgar's  Battalion!'     Several  boys  moved  as  if 

*Turner,    pp.    81-82.      Parentheses   are    the    writer's. 


318  The  Military  History  of 

to  obey.  Pizzini,  the  first  sergeant,  of  B  Company,  with 
his  Corsican  blood  at  the  boihng  point,  cocked  his  rifle 
and  proclaimed  that  he  would  shoot  the  first  man  who 
ran.  Preston,  brave  and  inspiring  in  command  of  B 
Company,  smilingly  lay  do^vn  upon  his  remaining  arm, 
with  the  remark  that  he  would  at  least  save  that. 
Colonna,  cadet  captain  of  D,  was  speaking  low  to  the 
men  of  his  company  words  of  encouragement,  and 
bidding  them  shoot  close.  The  Corps  was  being 
decimated."* 

The  obvious  effect  of  the  resolution  of  the  Corps  of 
Cadets  in  clinging  to  their  advanced  position  was  to 
cause  the  Federal  artillery  which  had  up  to  this  time 
been  dividing  its  attention  between  the  cadets  and  the 
51st  Regiment,  on  their  left,  to  concentrate  on  the 
cadets,  which  relieved  the  pressure  on  the  51st  Regiment 
and  26th  Battalion,  to  their  left  rear,  thus  enabling  them 
to  reform  and  engage  at  an  advantage  with  the  infantry 
company  of  the  34th  Massachusetts  supporting  the 
Federal  artillery  group.  The  men  of  this  company  had 
been  thro^^^l  out  as  sharpshooters  along  the  wooded  bluff 
overhanging  the  river,  on  the  extreme  Confederate  left 
and  on  the  right  of  the  Federate  batteries. 

"At  this  opportune  moment  (the  crisis  of  the  cam- 
bat),  when  victory  seemed  within  his  reach,  Sigel 
launched  the  counter-attack  upon  the  enemj^  before  him. 
The  34th  Massachusetts  with  the  adjoining  regiments 
(forming  the  line  to  the  left  of  the  batteries  at  the  north 
end  of  the  wheat  field  and  beyond  the  scrub  cedars  be- 
tween the  wheat  field  and  the  turnpike)  sprang  forward 
at  the  51st,  the  cadets,  and  the  62d.  Had  the  charge 
been  well  directed  and  firmly  pressed,  it  might  have  de- 
cided the  day.  The  54th  Pennsylvania  fought  well,  but 
was  forced  to  retreat  (by  the  22d  Virginia  on  the  right 
of  the  62d  Virginia),  while  the  1st  West  Virginia 
suffered  heavily  (at  the  hands  of  the  62d  Virginia  and 
the  right  wing  of  the  Cadet  Battalion),  and  halted  al- 
most   at    once.      The    34th    Massachusetts,    however, 

*End  of  an  Bra.  J.  S.  Wise.  Observe  how  this  account  corresponds  almost 
exactly  with  Turner's.     It  was  written  years  before  the  latter. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  319 

charged  down  nearly  to  the  fence,  behind  which  the 
cadets  had  their  position.  Could  they  have  done  this 
somewhat  earlier,  before  the  cadets  occupied  the  gap, 
they  would  have  found  the  jjlace  unoccupied,  and  it 
may  he  woidd  have  broken  the  Confederate  line.  This 
was  where  the  cadets  did  their  best  service.  With  the 
men  to  the  right  and  left  of  them,  they  held  the  place 
with  stubborn  resolution  (the  troops  on  their  flanks 
were  in  rear  of  their  position),  and  after  a  sharp 
struggle  the  34th  was  driven  back  to  the  position  which 
it  had  left  just  before."* 

Again  describing  the  crisis  of  the  combat  and  Sigel's 
counter  stroke,  Turner  says: 

"As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  the  Federal  success 
was  only  temporary.  The  Confederates  were  not  de- 
moralized; except  for  the  heavy  artillery  fire  from  both 
sides,  there  was  for  a  short  time  a  lull  in  the  battle  in 
this  part  of  the  field.  The  Confederate  line  was  being 
strengthened  and  rectified  once  more.  (Edgar  was 
moving  the  26th  Battalion  up  to  the  line  of  the  51st 
Virginia,  the  cadets  were  moving  up  into  the  gap,  and 
the  62d  on  their  right,  having  fallen  back  to  slight  cover, 
was  being  reformed ) . 

"The  men  of  the  62d  were  undaunted  by  the  disaster 
which  had  just  occurred.  Indeed  they  had  retired 
partly  for  the  purpose  of  waiting  until  the  other  com- 
mands should  come  up  with  them.  (The  truth  is,  they 
were  unable  to  remain  in  the  open  in  advance,  and  were 
compelled  to  seek  cover  in  a  hollow  in  their  rear,  until 
their  flanks  were  prolonged  hy  the  cadets  on  the  left 
and  the  22d  Virginia  on  their  right) .  The  gap  between 
the  62d  and  51st  was  being  filled  by  the  cadets  in  the 
course  of  a  brilliant  movement.  To  the  left,  the  51st 
had  recovered  its  order  (due  to  shifting  of  the  fire  of  the 
Federal  batteries  upon  the  cadets),  and  was  ready  to 
go  forward  again.  To  the  right  of  the  62d,  the  22d 
Regiment,  under  Colonel  Patton,  was  hastening  up  to 

♦Turner,  p.  53.  The  italics  and  parenthetical  remarks  are  those  of  the 
writer  and   not   of   Turner. 


320  The  Military  History  of 

complete  the  line.  (His  position  was  between  the  hol- 
low in  which  the  62d  lay  under  cover  of  the  ground,  and 
the  turnpike,  abreast  of  Imboden's  position  beyond  the 
bend  in  the  creek,  which  at  this  point  was  about  500 
yards  east  of  the  turnpike.  The  interval  on  his  right 
was  occupied  by  Derrick's  23d  Battalion,  while 
McLaughhn's  artillery  occupied  positions  on  the  high 
ground  along  the  pike  some  400  yards  in  rear  of  the 
22d  and  23d,  and  engaged  Ewing's  Battery,  east  of  the 
pike  on  the  Federal  left,  at  a  range  of  800  yards,  and 
Snow's,  Carlin's,  and  Von  Kleiser's  batteries,  obliquely 
to  the  left,  at  a  range  of  about  1,000  yards. 

"This  was  the  time  chosen  by  Sigel  for  the  Federal 
countercharge.  Perhaps  it  had  no  chance  to  succeed, 
although  the  result  might  have  been  different  had  this 
charge  been  made  immediately  after  the  repulse  of  the 
Confederates,  and  had  the  Federal  left  been  holding 
its  own.  (By  repulse  is  meant  the  confusion  of  the  .51st, 
on  the  extreme  left,  when  it  emerged  into  the  open,  after 
ascending  and  crossing  the  wooded  hill,  and  the  falling 
back  of  the  62d  to  the  hollow.) 

"Now,  there  was  little  hope.  As  the  Federal  soldiers 
moved  do^vn  the  slope  (of  Bushong's  Hill  against  the 
51st,  Cadets,  62d,  and  22d)  they  were  met  by  a  terrible 
fire.  Curiously  enough,  what  happened  to  the  Con- 
federates a  little  before,  now  befell  their  opponents. 
The  54th  Pennsylvania,  and  probably  the  1st  West 
Virginia,  halted  in  confusion,  and  turned  back,  leaving 
the  34th  Massachusetts  (opposite  the  cadets)  to  ad- 
vance alone.  The  men  of  this  command  charged 
gallantly  toward  the  fence  of  Bushong's  yard  (behind 
which  the  cadets  alone  lay),  but  were  repulsed  in  dis- 
order, partly,  (wholly?)  because  of  the  splendid  fighting 
of  the  cadets.  Accordingly,  they  retreated  with  heavy 
loss.  In  some  respects,  the  repulse  of  Sigel's  counter- 
charge was  the  critical  point  in  this  part  of  the  engage- 
ment, for  the  tide  of  battle  now  changed.  (If  the  tide 
changed,  this  was  certainly  the  very  crisis  of  the  com- 
bat, and,  inasmuch  as  Sigel  would  have  broken  the  Con- 


MAJOR-GENERAL   RALEIGH    E.    COLSTON,   C.    S.    A. 

Assistant  Professor 
Professor   1854-1  Sf>5 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  321 

federate  line,  had  the  34th  Massachusetts  pressed  home, 
the  troops  which  repelled  its  advance  saved  the  day.) 
The  22d  Virginia  Regiment,  which  formed  the  left  of 
the  hinder  echelon,  had  now  come  up  upon  the  right  of 
the  62d  Virginia.  Together  they  formed  a  solid  line  of 
eight  hundred  veteran  troops.  (Here  it  is  to  be  ob- 
served some  of  the  veteran  troops  were  in  the  'hinder 
echelon'  when  the  crisis  of  the  combat  was  passed,  the 
cadets  being  in  the  most  advanced  position.)  A  for- 
ward movement  was  begun  immediately,  leaving  the 
shaken  Federal  troops  no  time  to  recover." 

"The  cadets  also,  under  Captain  Henry  A.  Wise,  and 
the  other  Professor-Captains  (Colonel  Shipp,  the  Com- 
mandant, having  been  disabled),  sprang  forward  with 
heroic  enthusiasm,  their  boyish  cheers  arousing  the 
veterans  on  both  sides  of  them.  The  51st  Virginia,  to 
the  left  of  the  cadets,  had  recovered  from  its  earlier 
confusion,  and  had  been  fighting  vigorously.  It  also 
took  part  in  the  general  forward  movement;  so  that, 
substantiall5%  the  entire  Confederate  Army  swept  up 
toward  the  Federal  position.  By  this  time,  Edgar  had 
completed  his  work  of  turning  the  Federal  right;  the 
troops  posted  along  the  river  had  been  driven  back,  and 
the  artillery  (Snow's  and  Carlin's  batteries)  were 
hastening  to  move  off.  Over  on  the  left,  the  Federal 
attack  had  been  repulsed,  and  there  the  Confederate 
right  was  driving  the  enemy  back.  In  fact,  the  Federal 
line  was  breaking  up  now,  and  Breckinridge  encoun- 
tered no  serious  resistance.  The  54th  Pennsylvania, 
and  the  1st  West  Virginia,  hotly  pressed  and  in  danger 
of  being  flanked,  gave  way.  The  34th  Massachusetts 
was  thus  left  in  a  perilous  position.  The  62d  and  the 
22d  were  driving  away  its  support,  on  the  left ;  the  26th, 
the  51st,  and  the  cadets  were  driving  off  the  artillery, 
on  the  right ;  while  it  was  being  assailed  in  front  by  part 
of  the  Cadet  Battalion,  the  30th  Virginia,  and  part  of 
the  62d.  It  fought  stubbornly  and  well,  and  sustained 
heavy  losses,  but  could  not  retrieve  the  day.    As  it  was. 


2] 


322  The  Military  History  of 

it  lacked  little  of  ])eing  cut  off.     Thus,  both  the  right 
and  the  center  of  the  Federal  Army  were  broken."* 

The  movements  of  the  cadets  in  this  charge  have  been 
graphically  described.  Turner  has  shown  in  the  fore- 
going account  that  they  assaulted  the  position  of  the 
battery,  notwithstanding  his  doubts,  later  expressed,  as 
to  whether  they  could  have  done  it.  The  sole  question 
is  really  as  to  the  number  of  guns  they  took.  A  witness 
writes : 

"Manifestly,  they,  the  cadets,  must  charge  or  fall 
back.  And  charge  it  was;  for,  at  that  moment,  Henry 
Wise  ('Old  Chinook',  beloved  of  every  boy  in  the  com- 
mand) sprang  to  his  feet,  shouted  out  the  command 
to  rise  up  and  charge,  and,  moving  in  advance  of  the 
line,  led  the  Cadet  Corps  forward  to  the  guns.  The 
battery  was  being  served  superbly.  The  musketry  fairly 
rolled,  but  the  cadets  never  faltered.  They  reached  the 
firm  greensward  of  the  farmyard  in  which  the  guns 
were  planted.  The  Federal  infantry  began  to  break 
and  run  behind  the  buildings.  Before  the  order  to 
limber  up  could  be  obeyed  by  the  artillerymen,  the 
cadets  disabled  the  teams,  and  were  close  upon  the  guns. 
The  gunners  dropped  their  sponges,  and  sought  safety 
in  flight.  Lieutenant  Hanna  hammered  a  gunner  over 
the  head  with  his  cadet  sword.  Winder  Garret  outran 
another  and  lunged  his  bayonet  in  him.  The  boys 
leaped  upon  the  guns,  and  the  battery  was  theirs. 
Evans,  the  color-sergeant,  stood  wildly  waving  the  cadet 
colors  from  the  top  of  a  caisson. 

"A  straggling  fire  of  infantry  was  still  kept  up  from 
the  gully,  now  on  our  right  flank  (left  of  34th  Massa- 
chusetts), notwithstanding  the  masses  of  blue  retiring 
in  confusion  down  the  hill.  The  Battalion  was  ordered 
to  reform,  mark  time,  and  half -wheel  to  the  right ;  then, 
it  advanced,  firing  into  the  cedars  as  it  went,  and  did 
not  pause  again  until  it  reached  the  pike,  having  driven 
the  last  enemy  from  the  thicket.  The  broken  columns 
of  the  enemy  could  be  seen  hurrjdng  over  the  hills,  and 

♦Turner,   pp.    56-60. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  323 

down  the  pike  towards  Mount  Jackson,  hotly  pressed 
by  our  infantry  (22d  and  23d)  and  cavalry."* 

This  account  seems  to  be  accurate.  Turner  has  al- 
ready stated  that  in  the  final  charge  the  cadets  assaulted 
Von  Kleiser's  Battery.  Yet,  on  page  71  of  his  book  we 
read : 

"It  has  usually  been  asserted  that  the  cadets  took  Von 
Kleiser's  Battery,  but  they  could  scarcely  have  done 
this,  since  Von  Kleiser's  Batterj^  was  not  captured.  No 
Federal  battery  was  captured  at  New  Market.  Sigel 
lost  five  or  six  cannon.  Two  of  these  were  captured  by 
the  Confederates  from  the  batteries  near  the  river,  while 
another  they  found  afterwards  abandoned  in  a  pond. 
Von  Kleiser  lost  two  guns,  one  of  which,  there  is  no 
doubt,  was  taken  by  the  cadets  when  the  Federal  line 
gave  way,  and  they  may  have  captured  the  other.  But 
they  did  not  capture  a  battery."** 

Now,  this  whole  tangle  is  easy  to  straighten  out. 
Upon  the  near  approach  of  the  cadets.  Von  Kleiser,  see- 
ing that  he  was  unsupported  on  his  right,  from  which 
quarter  Snow  and  Carlin  had  withdrawn  their  batteries, 
and  that  the  infantry  beyond  the  34th  Massachusetts, 
still  supporting  him  on  the  left,  but  obviously  unable  to 
withstand  the  assault  of  the  cadet  right  wing  and  the 
62d  Virginia,  ordered  his  battery  to  limber  up.  Four 
of  his  guns  got  away,  but  the  other  two  were  taken  by 
the  cadets  who  swarmed  in  among  his  confused  teams 
and  cannoneers,  as  described.  When  the  various  writers 
described  the  capture  of  the  battery,  they  referred  more 
to  the  seizure  of  its  position,  than  to  the  actual  number 
of  guns  taken.  The  fact  that  the  two  contemporaneous 
accounts,  the  official  report  of  the  Commandant  and  a 
letter  of  Captain  Preston,  do  not  enumerate  the  number 
of  guns  actually  seized  by  the  cadets  does  not  mean 
they  captured  no  guns.  Both  writers  specifically  stated 
the  position  of  the  hostile  battery  was  charged  and  over- 
run.    The  seizure  of  the  guns  was  in  tlieir  accounts  in- 

*Eiid  of  an  Era,  J.   S.  Wise. 
**Tumer,   p.   73. 


324  The  Military  History  of 

eluded  in  the  taking  of  the  position  occupied  by  the 
battery. 

Turner's  lack  of  perception  of  these  points  is  clearly 
expressed  in  the  statement  which  he  makes,  following 
closely  upon  his  account  of  the  action  of  the  cadets  in 
filling  the  gap,  holding  their  position  in  advance  of  the 
Confederate  line,  when  confusion  reigned,  according 
to  his  own  account,  on  both  sides  of  them,  and  repulsing 
the  coimtercharge  of  the  34th  Massachusetts,  which,  he 
says,  was  the  turning  point  of  the  battle. 

"Not  less  exaggerated  have  been  the  assertions  about 
the  result  of  the  action  of  the  cadets.  There  has  been 
a  tendency  to  maintain  that  they  saved  the  day  and  won 
the  battle,  and  that  Breckinridge  acknowledged  that 
they  had  done  so.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  there  is  no 
ground  for  such  assertion,  and  it  is  grossly  unjust  to  the 
veteran  soldiers  who  bore  the  brunt  of  the  fighting.  The 
cadets  made  up  about  one-sixteenth  of  the  Confederate 
Army,  so  that  it  would  have  been  physically  impossible 
for  them  to  have  turned  the  tide  of  battle."* 

This  is  really  pitiful.  He  has  said  that  if  the  34th 
Massachusetts  had  penetrated  the  gap,  the  day  would 
have  been  won  for  Sigel,  and  it  no  doubt  would  have 
been.  Would  Turner,  in  such  event,  have  contradicted 
himself,  and  said  that  the  34th  Massachusetts  could  not 
have  won  the  battle,  because  it  was  but  one-sixteenth  of 
Sigel's  Army?  Since  when  have  the  importance  of 
tactical  maneuvers  been  measured  by  the  number  of  men 
engaged  in  a  particular  movement?  A  brigade  of 
cavalry  in  the  rear  of  a  line  of  battle  will  decide  the 
issue,  when  an  army  corps  is  at  a  standstill  in  its  front. 
Can  any  one  deny  that  the  Stonewall  Brigade  won  the 
battle  of  First  Manassas  ?  Yet  its  action  there  was  rela- 
tively very  similar  to  that  of  the  cadets  at  New 
Market.  Dr.  Turner  is  hopelessly  lost  in  the  fog  which 
he  has  done  more  to  create  than  any  previous  historian 
of  the  battle.  Fortunately,  he  again  contradicts  him- 
self, after  having  declared  Mr.  Wise's  account  inac- 

*Turner,    p.    72. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  325 

curate,  for  on  page  83  he  confirms  that  account  abso- 
hitely,  and  writes: 

"After  the  fall  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Shipp,  the 
command  of  the  cadets  had  devolved  upon  Professor- 
Captain  Henry  A.  Wise.  He  says  that  he  believed  that 
the  longer  the  cadets  lay  inactive  behind  the  scanty 
shelter  under  the  enemy's  fire,  the  less  would  be  their 
courage,  and  the  more  impossible  would  it  be  for  them 
to  do  anything.  At  the  moment,  it  seemed,  there  were 
two  possible  courses:  either  to  fall  back,  as  had  been 
suggested,  or  to  rise  and  continue  the  advance.  He 
felt  instinctively  that  this  was  the  decisive  moment  of 
the  battle;  and  that  if  the  cadets  fell  back  and  opened 
a  gap  in  the  center  of  the  line  it  might  mean  the  loss 
of  the  day.  Moreover,  he  thought  that  to  fall  back  under 
an  artillery  fire  like  that  to  which  they  had  been  sub- 
jected, would  entail  nearly  as  much  hazard  as  a 
charge  right  at  the  enemy's  guns.  The  chance  was  a 
terrible  one,  but  he  made  his  decision  instantly.  His 
comrades  still  recall  how  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and 
shouted  the  charge.  At  once,  the  magnificent  training 
of  the  cadets  asserted  itself:  they  rose  as  a  man,  got 
over  the  fence,  and  moved  forward  across  the  field, 
straight  for  the  enemy's  guns.  (This  is  what  Turner 
seems  to  think  they  could  not  have  done,  yet  he  describes 
how  they  did  it ! )  There  is  no  doubt  that  at  this  moment 
the  62d  and  the  22d  had  begun  their  charge  (on  the 
right  of  the  cadets),  but  the  influence  of  the  cadets 
stirred  to  enthusiasm  the  adjacent  commands  (51st, 
30th  and  26th)  on  their  left  rear,  and  the  whole  Con- 
federate line  rushed  forward.  The  Federal  troops  from 
their  position  saw  the  movement,  and  prepared  to  hold 
their  ground. 

"Unfortunately,  it  is  not  possible  for  the  historian  to 
feel  that  he  can  narrate  exactly  the  details  of  what 
followed,  such  vivid,  contradictory,  and  exaggerated  ac- 
counts have  been  given.  It  is  probable  that  some  shells 
were  bursting  over  the  field  as  the  Corps  advanced;  but 
they  kept  their  ranks  and  j^i'essed  forward.     The  in- 


326  The  Military  History  of 

cessant  rains  of  the  morning  and  the  day  preceding,  had 
drenched  the  whole  country.  The  ground  over  which 
they  were  toihng  was  a  wheat  field  not  long  since 
ploughed,  now  sodden,  and  ankle-deep  in  mud.  At 
times,  the  cadets  found  it  an  heroic  task  even  to  drag 
their  feet  out  of  the  slough  into  which  they  sunk,  and 
in  many  cases  shoes  and  even  socks  were  pulled  off  as 
they  struggled  along.  Furthermore,  the  rain,  which  had 
ceased,  had  ceased  only  for  a  while.  A  black  thunder- 
cloud which  had  gathered  hung  low,  and  now,  when  the 
charge  began,  burst  over  the  field,  in  torrents.  The  air 
was  dim  with  the  driving  ram  and  the  darkness,  and 
murky  with  the  volumes  of  smoke  which  drifted  along 
the  ground;  so  that  it  was  difficult  to  see  twenty  paces 
ahead,  save  for  the  lightning  flashes  and  the  fire  where 
the  riflemen  were  shooting.  The  elements  themselves 
seemed  at  war."* 

After  reading  this  vivid  account,  which  is  undoubt- 
edly correct,  it  is  a  simple  matter  to  explain  how  the 
Cadet  Corps  was  able  to  traverse  the  wheat  field  in  the 
face  of  Von  Kleiser's  guns.  A  plunging  fire  is  of  all 
others  the  most  inaccurate,  especially  when  the  target 
is  moving  towards  the  guns.  Coupled  with  this  element 
of  inaccuracy,  were  the  facts  that  the  gimners  could  see 
the  advancing  line  but  imperfectly;  that  some  of  the 
guns  must  have  been  limbering  up  to  escape;  that  it 
took  not  over  two  minutes  for  the  Corps  to  traverse  the 
wheat  field ;  that  in  that  time  no  gun  could  have  possibly 
fired  over  five  rounds;  that  fuses  were  wet  and  inac- 
curately cut ;  that  firing  that  rapidly  the  pieces  could  not 
possibly  have  been  accurately  laid  upon  a  rapidly-mov- 
ing target,  even  had  the  gunners  been  at  target  practice, 
instead  of  laboring  under  the  intense  excitement  of  re- 
pelling an  infantry  charge — and  we  have  before  us  facts 
constituting  a  full  explanation  of  the  success  of  the 
charge.  Nothing  more  is  needed.  Physically,  the  deed 
was  by  no  means  impossible.  On  the  contrary,  it  seems 
physically  impossible  for  the  battery  to  have  repelled 

♦Turner,   pp.   83-86. 


The  Vikginia  Military  Institute  327 

the  charge.  Moral  factors  might  have  offset  the 
physical  advantages  of  the  assailants,  but  that  is  just 
what  did  not  happen ;  and  so  the  position  of  the  battery 
was  reached  and  overrun.  This,  Turner  himself  tells 
us: 

"But  there  was  no  faltering.  The  distance  to  be 
traversed  grew  less,  and  soon  the  audacity  of  their 
courage  told.  The  Federal  soldiers  were  too  much 
shaken,  and  too  hard  pressed,  to  make  a  stout  resistance. 
There  was  some  attempt;  but  on  the  cadets  came,  and 
then  at  last  in  the  midst  of  a  wavering  in  the  enemy's 
ranks,  they  dashed  up  to  the  Federal  lines  with  wild 
enthusiasm,  and  shot  down  the  horses  of  one  of  the 
guns.  There  was  a  brief  hand-to-hand  struggle,  but 
the  Federal  Army  was  already  giving  way.  The  cadets 
ran  here  and  there  capturing  prisoners.  The  color- 
bearer  sprang  upon  the  gun  carriage  and  waved  his 
flag.    The  position  had  beefi  stoi^med." 

Von  Kleiser's  Battery  went  into  action  immediately 
on  the  left  of  Sigel's  original  artillery  group.  Just  be- 
fore the  general  charge  commenced,  the  pressure  of  the 
26th,  51st  and  Cadet  Corps  compelled  Snow  and  Carlin 
to  limber  up  and  pull  out  with  their  batteries,  Carlin 
abandoning  three  of  his  guns  to  which  he  could  not  get 
his  teams  without  losing  them.  While  the  center  of 
the  Cadet  Battalion  was  overrunning  Von  Kleiser's 
position,  the  extreme  left  swept  over  the  ground 
formerly  occupied  by  Carlin's  Battery,  and  there  found 
his  abandoned  pieces. 

It  is  possible,  of  course,  that  either  5 1st  or  26th  had 
already  passed  Carlin's  position  (as  claims  by  both  for 
the  capture  of  the  three  pieces  have  been  advanced). 
But  what  probably  happened  was  the  men  of  these  two 
commands  mingled  with  the  left  wing  of  the  Cadet 
Battalion,  reached  the  guns  nearly  at  the  same  time, 
and  hence  each  has  conscientiously  asserted  its  claim  of 
priority.  There  is  nothing  strange  about  that.  It  had 
happened  many  times  before.  But  one  thing  is  certain : 
the  cadets  secured  the  pieces  which  they  found,  as  well 


328  The  Military  History  of 

as  from  80  to  100  prisoners,  a  precaution  which,  it  seems, 
the  veteran  troops  (contrary  to  their  custom)  failed  to 
take.  That  fact  certainly  gives  the  cadets  a  tremendous 
advantage,  in  the  eye  of  the  military  critic. 

Of  the  charge  of  the  cadets  upon  Von  Kleiser's 
Battery,  Major  Theodore  S.  Lang,  of  Sigel's  staff, 
wrote : 

"I  must  «ay  that  I  never  witnessed  a  more  gallant  ad- 
vance and  final  charge  than  was  given  by  those  brave 
boys  on  that  field.  They  fought  like  veterans;  nor  did 
the  dropping  of  their  comrades  by  the  ruthless  bullets 
deter  them  from  their  mission,  but  on  they  came,  ravines 
or  fences,  or  shot  or  shell,  were  all  the  same  to  those 
brave  boys,  who  faltered  not  until  they  waved  their 
battle  flag  over  the  captured  battery  of  Captain  Von 
Kleiser." 

Captain  Franklin  E.  Town,  Chief  Signal  Officer  of 
Sigel's  Armj^  wrote: 

"Standing  on  the  crest  of  this  slope,  after  a  short 
time  I  observed  a  line  forming  in  the  ravine  at  the  foot 
of  the  hill,  which  seemed  about  like  a  regiment  in  ex- 
tent, but  so  'smart'  and  'natty'  in  appearance  as 
instantly  to  suggest  our  own  pet  'Seventh  Regiment'  of 
New  York  City.  They  appeared  more  like  militia  on 
parade  than  troops  in  campaign.  We  were  soon  able 
to  identify  the  command  as  the  Battalion  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute,  and  certainly  a  more  soldiery-ap- 
pearing Corps  never  faced  an  enemy. 

"After  perfecting  their  alignment,  this  yomig  regi- 
ment advanced  toward  our  battery.  It  approached  only 
a  short  distance  when  it  halted  and  turned  back  toward 
the  ravine.  There  was  no  apparent  disorder,  nor  did 
it  seem  that  they  were  falling  back  in  panic,  but  rather 
as  if  by  some  change  of  plan,  and  in  pursuance  of 
orders.* 


♦This  was  when,  after  passing  the  Bushong  House,  the  Commandant  gave  the 
command,  as  shown,  to  "mark  time,"  and  then  halted  the  Battalion  behind 
the  fence. 


The  Virginia  ^Iilitary  Institute  329 

"The  Battalion  remained  but  a  short  time  in  the 
ravine,  and  again  advanced.  They  came  on  steadily 
up  the  slope,  swept  as  it  was  by  the  fire  of  these  guns. 
Their  line  was  as  perfectly  preserved  as  if  on  dress 
parade,  or  in  the  evolutions  of  a  review.  As  they  ad- 
vanced, our  guns  played  with  utmost  vigor  upon  their 
line;  at  first  with  shrapnel,  then,  as  they  came  nearer, 
with  canister,  and  finally,  with  double  loads  of  canister. 
As  the  Battalion  continued  to  advance,  our  gunners 
loaded  at  the  last,  without  stopping  to  sponge;  and  I 
think  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  eject  from  six 
guns  more  missiles  than  these  boys  faced  in  their  wild 
charge  up  that  hill.  But  still  they  advanced  steadily, 
without  any  sign  of  faltering.  I  saw,  here  and  there, 
a  soldier  drop  from  their  line  and  lie  where  he  fell,  as 
his  comrades  closed  up  the  gaps  and  passed  on.  Their 
pace  was  increased  from  a  quick  step  to  a  double  time, 
and,  at  the  last,  to  a  charge,  as  through  the  fire  they 
came  on,  and  up  to  the  guns  which  they  surrounded  and 
captured;  our  artillerymen  giving  away  when  the 
bayonets,  having  passed  the  guns,  were  at  their 
breasts."* 

This  account  was  written  thirty-four  years  after  the 
event.  The  fact  that  the  cadets  did  not  seize  all  the  guns 
of  the  battery  does  not  vitiate  the  evidence  in  the  mind 
of  a  soldier.  With  the  smoke  and  confusion  about 
him,  watching  the  charge  intently,  it  was  impossible  for 
Captain  Town  to  observe  everything  that  happened. 
Four  of  Von  Kleiser's  guns  may  have  pulled  out  at  the 
last  moment,  when  an  observer  was  most  apt  to  be  seek- 
ing cover. 

"This  charge  of  the  cadets  upon  the  Federal  position 
at  New  Market  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  episodes 
of  the  Civil  War,  or,  indeed,  of  any  war.  That  a  body 
of  youths,  ranging  in  age  from  fourteen  to  twenty, 
should  conduct  themselves  well  in  battle  would  in  itself 
have  been  sufficiently  creditable.     But  that  in  the  first 

♦"An  Eye  Witness  From  The  Other  Side,"  Richmond  Times-Dispatch,  April 
24,    1898. 


330  The  Military  History  of 

battle  in  which  they  had  ever  served,  they  should  do 
what  they  did  is  almost  be^^ond  belief.  That,  called 
from  the  quiet  seclusion  of  a  military  school,  they 
should  have  endured  long,  fatiguing  marches  for  three 
days  (five  days?)  over  muddy  roads  and  miry  fields; 
that,  wearied  with  their  journey  and  yet  roused  from 
their  sleep  on  the  night  before  the  battle  and  sent  on- 
ward, they  should  have  chafed  at  being  held  in  a 
sheltered  position,  and  insisted  on  pressing  forward  into 
the  front  and  central  part  of  the  battle ;  that  they  should 
have  borne  their  part  steadily;  that  they  should  have 
stood  their  groimd  under  a  withering  fire  when  veteran 
regiments  were  hard  pressed;*  and  that,  finally,  in  the 
crisis  of  the  struggle,  they  should  have  met  the  shock 
of  the  enemy,  mimoved ;  all  of  these  facts  are  as  astound- 
ing as  they  are  true.  The  battle  of  New  Market  was  a 
small  battle,  and,  relatively  speaking,  the  Cadet  Bat- 
talion was  a  mere  handful;  but  what  these  boys  did  is 
comparable  with  what  older  troops  have  done  in  some 
of  the  most  famous  battles  in  the  world.  It  may  be  that 
the  words  of  incautious  admirers  have  served  to  cast 
doubt  upon  their  exploits.  They  did  not  rally  the  Con- 
federate Army,  or  stem  a  rout,  or  capture  unaided  a 
powerful  battery  under  impossible  circumstances.  But, 
at  a  critical  moment,  they  did  conduct  themselves  in  a 
manner  beyond  all  praise,  and  what  they  did  had  much 
to  do  with  determining  the  issue  of  the  battle."** 

The  foregoing  summary  displays  as  amazing  a  lack 
of  familiarity  with  his  subject  on  the  part  of  the  writer, 
as  one  purporting  to  contribute  a  critical  narrative  to 
history  has  ever  been  guilty  of. 

In  the  first  place,  the  average  age  of  the  cadets  en- 
gaged in  the  battle  of  New  Market  was  as  great  as  that 
of  the  younger  Confederate  conscripts  of  1864.  The 
matriculation  books  would  have  shown  Dr.  Turner  that 
the  average  age  of  the  cadets  in  the  battle  of  New 
Market  was  very  close  to  seventeen  and  a  half  years. 

•Turner  has  previously  declared  the  veterans  were  in  disorder,  but  he  must 
fit  his  facts   to  his  conclusions. 
**Turner,   pp.   86-88. 


The  Virginia  Militaky  Institute  331 

There  were  some  over  twentj^-one,  numbers  over  twenty, 
and  more  over  nineteen  than  under  sixteen. 

The  quiet  seclusion  from  which  the  Corps  was  called 
has  been  fully  set  forth  in  previous  chapters.  It  will 
be  recalled  that  the  Corps  had  not  only  engaged  in  the 
severe  McDowell  campaign  in  1862,  and  hunted  de- 
serters in  the  mountains  the  following  summer,  but  had 
taken  part  in  three  separate  expeditions  to  repel 
Averell's  raiding  columns  in  August,  November  and 
December,  1863,  respectively.  In  December,  the  Corps 
had  spent  an  entire  week  in  the  field  in  bitterly  cold 
weather  and  rain  storms  which  made  the  spring  showers 
of  May  11th,  12th,  13th,  14th,  and  15th,  1864,  seem  mild 
indeed.  In  its  previous  field  service  marches  were  made 
which  far  exceeded  those  of  the  New  Market  campaign, 
both  with  respect  to  the  hardships  encountered  and  miles 
covered.  There  was  no  more  comparison  between  the 
spring  marches  from  Lexington  to  New  Market  with 
those  of  the  November  and  December  expeditions,  from 
the  standpoint  of  exposure  and  fatigue,  than  there 
ordinarily  is  between  a  fifteen-mile  march  over  a  turn- 
pike, on  a  mild  May  day,  and  an  equally  long  one  over 
unimproved  mountain  dirt  roads,  in  the  rain  and  sleet 
of  November  and  December,  poorly  shod,  lightly 
clothed,  and  bivouacking  in  the  open,  with  the  ther- 
mometer at  the  freezing  point.* 

From  the  writer's  knowledge  of  the  present-day 
cadet,  as  compared  with  the  character  of  men  similar 
to  those  who  comprised  the  rank  and  file  of  Breckin- 
ridge's Army,  he  feels  secure  in  the  assertion  that  the 
well-disciplined  and  physically  fit  cadets  under  Colonel 
Shipp  were  able  to  stand  for  a  short  period  the  experi- 
ences of  the  New  Market  campaign  better  than  the 
regular  soldiers,  and  that  fewer  of  them  suffered  from 
fatigue.  Youths  of  their  age  and  training  are  not  given 
to  weariness  in  a  space  of  four  days.  Then,  there  was 
the  novelty  of  the  experience  to  buoy  them  up  and  carry 

*I  venture  the  assertion  that  Turner  never  heard  of  these  expeditions.  In 
the  McDowell  campaign  of  1862  the  cadets  marched  44  miles  one  day. 


332  The  Military  History  or 

them  on,  entirely  lacking  in  the  case  of  the  regular 
soldier. 

From  the  standpoint  of  morale,  there  was,  perhaps, 
not  a  command  engaged  in  either  army  in  any  battle 
of  the  Civil  War  that  compared,  man  for  man,  with  the 
Corps  of  Cadets.  The  overwhehiiing  majority  of  the 
cadets  were  born  gentlemen,  possessing  all  the  instincts 
of  courage  and  daring  of  their  race,  cherishing  the 
noblest  military  traditions  of  the  South,  and  burning 
with  all  the  ardor  of  youth,  after  no  fewer  than  four 
previous  disappointments,  to  engage  the  enemy  in  bat- 
tle. The  Cadet  Battalion  was  a  corps  of  incipient 
officers,  most  of  whom  might  have  commanded  regular 
troops,  had  they  chosen,  or  had  they  been  allowed,  to 
join  the  army.  If  there  were  a  battalion  on  earth  that 
would  have  stood  the  Federal  fire  and  charged  Von 
Kleiser's  guns  on  May  15th,  it  was  that  one  which  in- 
spires the  wonderment  of  Dr  Turner,  for  in  the  Corps 
of  Cadets  there  was  not  a  j^outh  but  whose  career  would 
have  been  blighted  forever,  had  he  abandoned  his  colors, 
and  the  officers  who  led  them  were  veterans  of  many 
other  fields.* 

Their  deeds  were  heroic,  but  when  we  come  to  study 
them  with  all  the  facts,  physical  and  moral,  which  must 
be  taken  together  to  explain  military  exploits,  the  latter 
no  less  important  than  the  former,  there  was  absolutely 
nothing  marvelous  or  verging  upon  the  impossible,  in 
them.  Had  this  body  of  highly  trained  and  socially 
elite  youth  failed  to  do  what  they  did,  when  hundreds 
of  country  boys  no  older  than  themselves,  and  with  none 
of  the  many  social  and  educational  advantages  of  the 
cadets,  were  fighting  by  their  sides  and  on  a  hundred 
other  fields,  there  would  have  been  something  indeed  to 
marvel  at. 


♦The  Commandant  had  served  in  the  distressing  West  Virginia  campaign  of 
1861,  and  had  led  Jackson's  skirmish  line  in  the  Romney  campaign,  and  then 
engaged  in  the  most  dangerous  of  all  fighting  or  the  cavalry  affairs  after  the 
Gettysburg  campaign.  Captain  Wise  had  displayed  great  heroism  at  Roanoke 
Island,  where  he  was  captured  and  paroled.  Captain  Preston  had  lost  an  arm 
at  Winchester.  Captains  Robinson  and  Hill  had  seen  hard  active  service  in 
the  Army. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  333 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

victory  and  laurels RICHMOND  AGAIN  AND  BACK  TO 

LEXINGTON 

After  the  34th  Massachusetts  ahandoned  its  position, 
retiring  in  good  order,  the  pursuit  was  checked  by  the 
belated  arrival  of  the  28th  and  116th  Ohio  Regiments, 
and  Du  Font's  Regular  Batter}^  which  took  up  a 
position  on  Rude's  Hill  near  the  river  crossing. 

Although  a  section  of  McClannahan's  Batter}^  under 
Lieutenant  Carter  Berkeley,  dashed  down  the  pike  and 
shelled  the  fleeing  masses,  while  McLaughlin  caused  the 
other  guns  to  fire  from  successive  positions,  there  were 
no  reserves  or  organized  cavalry  with  which  to  turn  the 
withdrawal  into  a  rout. 

Before  the  infantry  could  be  reformed  and  cartridge 
boxes  replenished,  with  a  view  to  the  assault  of  Rude's 
Hill,  Sigel  had  commenced  to  withdraw  his  rear  guard 
across  the  river,  burning  the  bridge  behind  him,  after 
crossing  over  his  last  troops,  and  so  the  fighting  came 
to  an  end  about  6  p.  m. 

"As  evening  fell,  the  clouds  passed  away,  the  sun 
came  forth;  and  when  night  closed  in,  no  sound  dis- 
turbed the  Sabbath  calm,  save  that  of  a  solitarv  Na- 
poleon  gun  pounding  away  at  the  smouldering  ruins  of 
the  bridge." 

The  Corps  of  Cadets  had  taken  part  in  the  general 
pursuit,  at  the  beginning  of  which  it  had  been  rejoined 
by  Colonel  Shipp,  his  face  streaming  with  blood  from  a 
slight  wound  on  the  cheek,  but  sufficiently  recovered 
from  the  stunning  blow  he  had  received  in  the  orchard 
to  resume  command. 

Just  before  the  Corps  of  Cadets  left  its  position  at 
the  base  of  Rude's  Hill,  where  it  had  been  reformed  for 
the  assault,  an  officer  rode  up,  some  say  accompanied 


334  The  Military  History  of 

by  his  stag,  and  was  saluted  by  the  Battahon,  where- 
upon the  officer,  who  was  thought  to  be  General  Breck- 
inridge, is  said  to  have  politely  raised  his  hat  and  given 
expression  to  the  following  words:  "Young  gentle- 
men, I  have  to  thank  you  for  the  result  of  to-day's 
operations."  General  Shipp  remembers  no  such  inci- 
dent, and  General  Charles  J.  Anderson  of  Richmond, 
a  cadet  in  the  battle,  positively  asserts  that  the  officer 
who  made  the  remark  was  Major  J.  Stoddard  John- 
ston, Breckinridge's  Chief-of-Staff,  and  that  he  said: 
"Young  gentlemen,  General  Breckinridge  has  you  to 
thank  for  the  result  of  to-day's  operations."  Now  the 
truth  is  the  Battalion  was  extended  over  a  considerable 
distance  when  in  the  position  at  the  bottom  of  Rude's 
Hill.  It  is,  therefore,  possible  that  both  the  General 
and  his  Chief-of-Staff  passed  by  the  cadets  and  made 
acknowledgments  to  them  and  that  all  the  cadets  did 
not  see  or  hear  both  officers  in  the  general  excitement. 
Again,  General  Anderson's  explanation  seems  a  good 
one,  that  is,  Johnston  was  mistaken  for  Breckinridge. 
Whoever  the  officer  referred  to  actually  was.  General 
Breckinridge  subsequently  on  numerous  occasions  ex- 
pressed his  belief  that  the  action  of  the  cadets  exercised 
a  decisive  influence  on  the  issue  of  the  day.  He  person- 
ally told  the  Superintendent  that  had  he  not  used  the 
cadets  very  freely  the  result  would  have  been  different.* 

When  the  pursuit  was  given  up  the  cadet  section  of 
artillery  went  into  bivouac  with  the  rest  of  McLaugh- 
lin's command  at  beautiful  Mount  Airy,  while  the  main 
body  of  the  Confederate  troops  bivouacked  along  the 
pike  about  a  mile  below  New  Market.  The  cadets  were 
allowed  to  break  ranks  and  seek  shelter  in  the  town 
wherever  it  could  be  had  in  order  to  avoid  further  ex- 
posure. 

An  inventory  of  losses  now  showed  Sigel  that  he  had 
lost  over  800  of  the  6,000  Federals  engaged;  while 
Breckinridge's  loss  was  abovit  600  out  of  an  armj^  of 
4,500. 

*See  also  Turner,  pp.  88-89,  for  letters  of  Colonna.   Kirk  and  Ross. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  335 

In  the  Corps  of  Cadets  the  loss  was  tremendous. 
There  were  positively  not  over  279  cadets  engaged,  in- 
cluding the  artillery  detachment.  There  were  probably 
fewer,  but  it  can  be  absolutely  demonstrated  that  there 
were  not  more.  Of  this  number,  5  were  killed  outright, 
4  mortally  wounded,  48  others  wounded,  only  one  slight 
casualty  occiu'ring  in  the  artillery  detachment.  The 
loss  was,  therefore,  over  twenty  per  cent  of  the  com- 
mand. 

But,  in  spite  of  their  losses,  the  camp-fires  twinkled 
no  more  brightly  that  night  than  the  spirits  of  the 
dauntless  cadets,  for,  at  last,  they  had  been  in  battle  and 
borne  themselves  with  such  credit  as  to  have  elicited  the 
acknowledgments  of  the  Commanding  General  him- 
self. 

"Shortl}'^  before  sundown,  after  having  my  head 
sewed  up  and  bandaged,  and  having  rendered  such  serv- 
ice as  I  could  to  wounded  comrades,  I  sallied  forth  to 
procure  a  blanket  and  see  what  was  to  be  seen.  When 
we  stripped  for  action,  we  left  our  traps  unguarded; 
nobody  would  consent  to  be  detailed.  As  a  result,  the 
camp  followers  had  made  away  with  nearly  all  of  our 
blankets.* 

"I  entered  the  town,  and  found  it  filled  with  soldiers, 
laughing  and  carousing  as  light  heartedly  as  if  it  were  a 
feast,  or  a  holiday.  In  a  side  street,  a  great  throng  of 
Federal  prisoners  was  corralled;  the}^  were  nearly  all 
Germans.  Every  type  of  prisoner  was  there,  some 
cheerful,  some  defiant,  some  careless,  some  calm  and  de- 
jected. One  fellow  in  particular  afforded  great  merri- 
ment by  his  quaint  recital  of  the  manner  of  his  capture. 
Said  he,  'Dem  leetle  tevils  mit  der  vite  vlag  vas  doo 
mutch  fur  us;  dey  shoost  smash  mine  head  ven  I  was 
cry  zurrender  all  de  time'.  A  loud  peal  of  laughter 
went  up  from  the  bystanders,  among  whom  I  recognized 
several  cadets.    His  allusion  to  the  white  flag  was  to  our 

*This  Is  a  mistake.  Cadet  Goodykoontz  had  been  detailed  by  the  Com- 
mandant to  remain  with  the  equipment,  etc.,  and  stayed  with  it  until  the 
morning  of  the  16th,  until  which  time  the  fact  that  he  had  not  been  relieved 
was  forgotten. 


336  The  Military  History  or 

colors.  We  had  a  handsome  Corps  flag  with  a  white 
and  gold  ground  and  a  picture  of  Washington;  it  dis- 
concerted our  adversaries  not  a  little.  Several  whom  I 
have  met  since  then  tell  me  that  they  could  not  make  us 
out  at  ail,  as  our  strange  colors,  diminutive  size,  and 
unusual  precision  of  movement,  made  them  think  we 
must  be  some  foreign  mercenary  regulars.* 

"The  jeers  and  banterings  of  the  veterans  had  now 
ceased ;  we  had  fairly  won  our  spurs.  We  could  mingle 
with  them  fraternally,  and  discuss  the  battle  on  equal 
terms;  glorious  fellows,  those  veterans  were.  To  them 
was  due  ninetj^-nine  one-hundredths  of  the  glory  of  the 
victory,  yet  they  seemed  to  delight  in  giving  all  praise 
to  'dem  leetle  tevils  mit  der  vite  vlag'.  The  ladies  of 
the  place  also  overwhelmed  us  with  tenderness,  and  as 
for  ourselves,  we  drank  in  greedily  the  praise  which 
made  us  the  lions  of  the  hour. 

"Leaving  the  village,  we  sought  the  plateau  where 
most  of  our  losses  had  occurred.  A  little  above  tlie 
town,  in  the  fatal  wheat  field,  we  came  upon  the  dead 
bodies  of  three  cadets;  one  wearing  the  chevrons  of  a 
first  sergeant  lay  upon  his  face,  stiff  and  stark  with  out- 
stretched arms.  His  hands  had  clutched  and  torn  up 
great  tufts  of  soil  and  grass.  His  lips  were  retracted: 
his  teeth  tightly  locked;  his  face  as  hard  as  flint,  with 
staring  glassy  ej^es.  It  was  difficult  indeed  to  recognize 
that  this  was  all  that  remained  of  Cabell,  who  a  few 
hours  before  had  stood  first  in  his  class,  second  as  a 
soldier,  and  the  peer  of  any  bo}"  in  the  command  in 
every  trait  of  physical  and  moral  manliness.  A  short 
distance  removed  from  the  spot  where  Cabell  fell,  and 
nearer  to  the  position  of  the  enemy,  lay  McDowell.  It 
was  a  sight  to  rend  one's  heart!  That  little  fellow  was 
lying  there  asleep,  more  fit  indeed  for  a  cradle  than  a 
grave;  he  was  about  my  own  age  (17),  not  large,  and 
by  no  means  robust.  He  was  a  North  Carolinian;  he 
had  torn  open  his  jacket  and  shirt,  and,  even  in  death, 
lay  clutching  them  back,  exposing  a  fair  white  breast 

*The  cadets  were  not  small  as  a  whole,  but  their  tight-fitting  jackets  made 
them  appear  so  then,  as  they  do  now,  in  comparison  with  other  troops. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  337 

with  its  red  wound.  We  had  come  too  late.  Stanard 
had  breathed  his  last  but  a  few  moments  before  we 
reached  the  old  farmhouse  where  the  battery  had  stood, 
now  used  as  a  hospital.  His  body  was  still  warm,  and 
his  last  message  had  been  words  of  love  to  his  room- 
mates. 

•  ••«•••• 

"A  few  of  us  brought  up  a  limber-chest,  threw  our 
dead  across  it,  and  bore  their  remains  to  a  deserted  store- 
house in  the  village.  The  next  day  we  buried  them  with 
the  honors  of  war,  bowed  down  with  grief  at  a  victory 
so  dearly  bought."* 

It  should  here  again  he  mentioned  that  of  the  nine 
cadets  who  lost  their  lives  in  this  battle,  Cabell,  Atwill, 
Crockett,  Haynes,  Jefferson,  Jones,  McDowell, 
Stanard  and  Wheelwright,  but  five  were  killed  outright, 
Cabell,  Crockett,  Jones,  McDowell,  and  Standard.  At- 
will  died  of  lockjaw,  the  following  week,  in  Staunton; 
Wheelwright,  in  Harrisonburg,  June  2d;  Jefferson,  in 
New  JNIarket  on  May  18th,  and  Haynes,  in  the 
Powhatan  Hotel  Hospital,  in  Richmond,  June  loth. 
Until  recent  years,  the  fatality  of  Haynes's  wound  had 
not  been  known. 

In  IMay,  1866,  the  remains  of  five  cadets  killed  in  the 
battle  were  removed  to  Lexington,  where  they  were 
reinterred  in  the  Cadet  Cemetery.  In  1913,  they  were 
placed  in  copper  caskets  and  deposited  beneath  Ezekiel's 
monument,  "Virginia  Mourning  Her  Dead,"  dedicated 
June  23,  1903,  as  a  memorial  to  the  New  Market 
Corps.** 

♦End  of  an   Era,    J.    S.    Wise. 

**The  bodies  of  Cadets  Atwill.  Jones,  Jefferson.  McDowell,  and  Wheelwright 
were  removed  to  I>exingt()n  in  May.  1866.  and  interred  on  tlie  second  anniversary 
of  the  battle,  May  ]r)th,  in  the  Cadet  Cemetery  created  for  the  purpose  of  receiv- 
ing them. 

At  this  time  a  traditional  custom  originated  which  has  been  carefully  pre- 
served and  continued  to  the  present  time.  On  the  15th  of  May.  the  names  of 
the  nine  cadets  who  lost  their  lives  at  the  battle  of  New  Market  are  called  by 
the  sergeants  in  the  roll  of  their  respective  companies  at  every  foi-mation  during 
the  day,  and  a  cadet,  designated  in  advance  for  the  purpose,  steps  two  paces 
to  the  front,   salutes,   and   answers:      "Died   on   the   field  of   honor!" 

This   inspiring   custom    had   its   origin   in   France. 

LATOT^R  D'AlJVERGNE  entered  the  military  service  of  France  in  1T67  and 
fought  with  distinction  throughout  the  early  years  of  the  Revolution  in  the 
armies  of  the  Alps  and  the  I'yrennes.  Time  and  again  he  distinguished  himself 
in  battle,  and  was  offered  promotion,  Init  each  time  he  refused  it.  As  a  simple 
captain,  he  led  8,000  grenadiers,  known  on  account  of  their  murderous  bayonet 


338  The  Militaky  History  of 

It  is  here  proper  to  mention  the  heroism  of  a  httle 
woman  of  New  Market,  EHza  Catherine  Chnedinst, 
afterwards  Mrs.  Crim.  She  was  a  fair  yomig  woman, 
who,  amidst  the  stirring  scenes  of  the  Valley,  in  the  oft- 
trodden  path  of  the  two  armies,  worked  away  faithfully 
in  her  mother's  home  at  her  trade  as  the  village  milliner ; 
while  her  sturdy  brother,  a  lieutenant  in  the  "Stonewall" 
Brigade,  fought  for  his  country.* 

Many  conflicting  accomits  have  been  published  of 
Eliza  Clinedinst's  heroism  during  the  battle  of  New 
Market.  The  writer  can  not  here  undertake  to  correct 
the  mistaken  versions  of  her  conduct.  That  she  ren- 
dered valiant  service  in  nursing  Cadet  Jefferson,  who 
was  carried  to  her  mother's  home,  is  certainly  true,  but 
she  herself  denied  that  she  went  on  the  field  during  the 
battle.  She,  like  the  other  good  women  of  New  Mar- 
ket, did  all  she  could  to  alleviate  the  suffering  of  the 
wounded.  It  is  not  disparaging  to  one  to  give  credit  to 
others  for  what  they  all  did. 

It  might  be  proper  to  add  here  that  Cadet  Thomas 
Garland  Jefferson  was  born  January  1,  1847,  and  was 

charges  as  the  Infernal  Column.  He  left  the  army  in  1795,  but  re-enlisted  as 
a  substitute  for  the  only  son  of  an  old  friend  in  1799,  and  fought  with  Massena 
in  Switzerland.  Again  he  declined  promotion,  but  Napoleon,  in  1800,  caused 
him  to  be  officially  borne  on  the  rolls  as  the  "First  Grenadier  of  France."  He 
was  killed  on  the  22d  of  June  of  that  year  in  Bavaria,  whereupon  the  whole 
French  army  mourned  for  him  three  days.  His  heart  was  embalmed,  placed 
in  a  silver  vase  carried  by  his  company,  and  his  saber  was  placed  in  the  Church 
of  the  Invalides.  Every  morning  until  the  close  of  the  Empire,  at  the  roll  call 
of  his  regiment,  his  name  was  called  and  the  eldest  sergeant  replied :  "Mort 
sur  le  champ  de  I'honneur." 

The  writer  regards  this  ceremony  at  the  Institute  on  the  15th  of  May  as  by 
far  the  most  impressive  and  inspiring  one  he  has  ever  witnessed. 

It  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  influence  it  exerts  upon  the  emotions  and  the 
character  of  the  youthful  cadet.  Having  been  first  sergeant  of  D  Company  In 
his  Second  Class  Year,  the  writer  recalls  the  rivalry  which  existed  among  the 
cadets  of  his  company  for  the  honor  of  answering  for  D  Company's  fallen 
heroes.  As  captain  of  that  same  company,  a  year  later,  he  recalls  how  he  was 
appealed  to  by  those  on  the  sick  list,  begging  that  they  might  slip  into  ranks  to 
be  with  the  colors  when  the  anniversary  salute  was  fired  by  the  Battalion  over 
the  graves  in  the  Cadet  Cemetery. 

Who  that  has  been  a  cadet  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  but  can  recall 
the  hot  tear  that  welled  unbidden  to  the  eye  in  response  to  the  fervent  prayer  of 
the  chaplain  on  this  annual  occasion?  Is  not  the  memory  of  Cabell,  Atwill, 
McDowell.  Stanard,  Jefferson.  Jones,  Crockett,  Wheelwright,  and  Haynes,  in- 
delibly burned  into  the  souls  of  all  old  cadets?  Who  of  us  but  can  see,  standing 
there  beside  those  boyish  graves,  in  the  soft  evening  light  of  springtime,  with 
head  uncovered  and  dampened  cheek,  the  veteran  figure  of  Pendleton,  Poague, 
Cutshaw,   or  Lee  himself,  when  a  resident  of  Lexington? 

How  distressed  many  old  cadets  will  be  when  they  learn  that  the  Cadet 
Cemetery  has  been  abandoned,  and  that  those  simple  little  graves  are  no  longer 
to  be  seen  in  the  shady  grove  where  for  forty-seven  years  they  remained  un- 
disturbed. No  monument  can  be  half  so  imposing  as  were  those  little  clumps  of 
sod  ;  and  one  of  the  most  touching  features  of  "New  Market  Day"  is  gone  with 
the  graves. 

*John  Clinedinst  is  to-day  one  of  the  most  respected  citizens  of  New  Market, 
and  was  recently  mayor  of  the  town.  Clinedinst,  the  artist,  who  painted  the 
picture  of  the  battle  of  New  Market,  is  his  kinsman. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  339 

therefore  seventeen  years,  four  months  and  two  weeks 
old  at  the  time  of  his  death.  When  he  was  wounded  two 
of  his  comrades  fell  out  of  ranks  to  run  to  his  aid.  In 
words  which  should  be  made  immortal  the  stricken 
youth  said  to  them:  "You  can  do  nothing  for  me;  go 
to  the  front;  there  is  the  place  for  you!"  From  the  field 
he  was  conveyed  by  his  comrades  to  the  field  hospital 
near  the  Hupp  House,  and  from  thence  the  next  day 
to  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Clinedinst,  where  he  expired  in 
the  arms  of  his  comrade,  Cadet  Corporal  Moses  Ezekiel, 
who  had  borne  him  from  the  field  and  nursed  him 
through  the  weary  hours  until  Wednesday  morning,  the 
18th  of  May. 

At  the  commencement  following  the  occasion  of  the 
unveiling  and  dedication  of  the  "New  Market  Monu- 
ment" at  the  Institute,  the  survivors  of  the  Battle  Corps 
were  presented  by  the  V.  M.  I.  Alumni  Association  with 
handsome  bronze  medals  of  honor;  and  one  was  pre- 
sented by  the  survivors  of  the  Battle  Corps  to  Mrs. 
Crim,  which  she  now  wears  with  the  utmost  pride. 

Breckinridge  won  a  splendid  victory  at  New  Market, 
and  the  news  which  Lee,  locked  in  the  death-grapple 
with  Grant  in  the  Wilderness,  received  the  morning 
after  the  battle  was  most  comforting  to  him,  for  the 
success  which  had  been  attained  in  the  Valley  rendered 
his  flank  safe,  and  saved  his  granary  for  the  time  being. 

The  16th  and  17th  of  May  were  devoted  to  caring 
for  the  wounded,  the  Corps  of  Cadets  going  into  camp 
in  some  woods  just  below  the  town  and  north  of  the 
pike. 

On  the  16th,  the  Commandant  received  an  order  from 
General  Breckinridge  to  report  to  General  Imboden, 
with  the  request  on  the  part  of  General  Breckinridge 
that  the  Corps  be  relieved  from  further  duty  at  that 
time,  and  be  ordered  back  to  the  Institute.*  The  cir- 
cimistances  of  General  Imboden's  situation  were  such, 
however,  as  to  render  its  detention  for  a  time  necessary. 

*S.  O.  No.  9.  Headquarters,  Valley  District.  Original  in  General  Shipp's 
possession. 


340  The  Militaey  History  of 

"Headquarters,  Valley  District, 

"New  Market,  Va.,  May  16,  1864. 

"Colonel — I  am  directed  by  Major-General  Breckinridge  to 
convey,  in  parting  with  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  to  you  and  to  them,  his 
thanks  for  the  important  services  you  have  rendered.  He  desires 
also  to  express  his  admiration  for  their  meritorious  conduct,  as 
exhibited  in  their  soldierly  bearing  on  the  march,  and  tlieir  distin- 
guished gallantry  on  the  field. 

"With  sentiments  of  high  personal  regard,  I  am.  Colonel, 

"Very  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"J.  Stoddard  Johnston, 
"Major  and  Acting  Adjutant-General. 

"Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott  Shipp, 

"Commanding  Corps  of  Cadets." 


"Headquarters,  Valley  District, 

"New  Market,  Va.,  May  16,  1864. 
"(Circular). 

"An  approximate  return  of  Killed  and  Wounded  and  a  summary 
field  return,  showing  total  effective  and  aggregate  present,  will  be 
made  out  and  forwarded  to  these  headquarters  immediately. 
"By  command  of  Major-General  Breckinridge, 

"J.  Stoddard  Johnston, 

"Acting  Adjutant-General. 
"Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott  Shipp, 
"Commandant." 


"Headquarters,  First  Brigade, 

"Rude's  Hill,  May  16,  1864. 

"Dear  Colonel — I  have  directed  Captain  Catlett  to  call  upon 
you  for  a  report  of  the  operations  of  your  command  on  yesterday  in 
the  battle  of  New  Market.  I  can  not  refrain,  Colonel,  in  this  un- 
official manner,  from  expressing  my  high  admiration  of  the  conduct 
of  your  noble  boys  in  the  fierce  conflict  of  yesterday,  and  my  deep 
sympathy  with  you  all  on  account  of  the  many  casualties  which,  I 
understand,  you  will  have  to  record.  I  shall  always  be  provid  to 
have  had  you  and  your  Corps  under  my  command;  no  man  ever  led 
a  more  gallant  band.  Nobly  have  you  illustrated  the  history  of 
your  State,  and  the  great  institution  which  you  have  represented. 

"I  am.  Colonel,  most  truly, 

"John  Echols, 

"Brigadier-General. 
"Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott  Shipp, 

"Commanding  Corps  of  Cadets." 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  341 

On  the  18th,  the  Superintendent  telegraphed  Brig- 
adier-General Imboden  as  follows: 

"Cadets  are  ordered  to  Richmond.  Move  them  on  to  Staunton 
to-morrow."* 

That  same  day,  the  following  orders  were  published: 

"Headquarters,  Valley  District, 

"Staunton,  Va.,  May  16,  1864. 
"General  Orders — No.  4. 

"The  Major-General  Commanding  takes  pleasure  in  communi- 
cating to  the  troops  of  his  command  the  following  dispatch  from 
General  Lee  in  which  he  tenders  thanks  due  only  to  them. 

"  'Spottsylvania  C.  H.,  May  16,  186i. 

"  'General  J.  C.  Breckinridge, 

"  'I   offer   you  the   thanks   of   this   Army   for   your   victory   over 

General  Sigel. 

"  'R.  E.  Lee.' 

"To  receive  such  a  testimonial  from  such  a  source  will  be  grate- 
ful to  the  hearts  of  every  true  soldier. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  Breckinridge, 

"J.  Stoddard  Johnston, 

"A.  A. -General."** 

The  morning  of  the  19th,  the  Commandant  received 
the  following  communication: 

"Headquarters,  Valley  District, 

"May  19,  1864. 
"Col.  Shipp,  Commanding, 
"Corps  Cadets. 
"Col. — I   enclose  you  a   dispatch   received   at   a  late   hour   last 
night.     It  explains  itself.     You  will  proceed  to  Staunton,  without 
delay,  and  report  to  Gen.  F.  H.  Smith. 

"With  sincerest  good  wishes  for  the  future  success  and  safety 
of  the  Corps  of  gallant  youths  under  your  command,  and  of  your- 
self, personally,  I  am  Col.,  very  truly, 

"Yours, 

"J.  D.  Imboden, 

"Brig.-Gen'l."^ 

•Original  in  General  Shipp's  possession. 

**Same. 

tProm  the  original  in  General  Shipp's  possession. 


342  The  Military  History  of 

"That  day,  we  started  on  our  return  march  up  tlie 
Valley,  crestfallen  and  dejected.  The  joy  of  victory 
was  forgotten  in  distress  for  the  friends  and  comrades 
dead  and  maimed.  We  were  still  young  in  the  ghastly 
game,  but  we  proved  apt  scholars.  On  our  march  up 
the  Valley,  we  were  not  hailed  as  sorrowing  friends,  but 
greeted  as  heroes  and  victors.  At  Harrisonburg, 
Staunton,  Charlottesville — everywhere,  an  ovation 
awaited  us,  such  as  we  did  not  dream  of,  and  such  as  has 
seldom  greeted  any  troops.  The  dead,  and  poor  fellows 
tossing  on  cots  of  fever  and  delirium,  were  almost  for- 
gotten by  the  selfish  comrades  whose  fame  their  blood 
had  bought."* 

The  Corps  marched  into  Harrisonburg  on  the  20th, 
where  some  of  the  more  seriously  wounded  cadets  were 
placed  in  the  hospital,  and  arrived  at  Staunton  on  the 
21st.  The  night  before  its  arrival  the  Commandant 
received  the  following  communication : 

"Hqrs.,  Va.  Mil.  Inst., 

"Staunton,  Va.,  May  20,  186i. 
"Lt.-Col.  Scott  Shipp, 
"Com'd  of  Cadets. 

"Col. — Your  dispatch  of  this  date  is  just  received.  I  regret  to 
learn  that  the  shoes  are  worthless.  If  the  Scotch  shoes  can  be  had 
there,  I  will  buy  as  many  as  may  be  required.  Anticipating  the 
need  of  socks,  I  have  with  me  10  dozen  pairs,  and  have  ordered 
20  dozen  more  to  meet  the  cadets  in  Richmond.  I  had  also  tele- 
graphed the  Adj. -General  to  have  100  pr.  pants  ready  in  Richmond 
to  meet  the  wants  of  the  most  destitute.  I  first  tried  to  get  them 
here,  but  the  order  of  the  Q.  M.  General  was  required. 

"The  cadets  will  move  on  by  train  on  Sunday  morning  (22d). 
The  battery  and  horses  will  go  with  the  cadets.  I  am  expecting  our 
subsistence  stores  to-morrow.  I  made  requisition  for  the  Enfield 
Rifles,  but  not  to  be  had.     I  will  renew  the  requisition  in  Richmond. 

"The  cadets  will  be  engaged  in  guarding  one  of  the  main  ap- 
proaches to  the  city.  I  shall  endeavor  to  get  the  Brook  Turnpike, 
or  Meadow  Bridge,  or  Mechanicsville  Road. 

"I  have  ordered  Col.  Gilliam  to  proceed  at  once  to  Lexington, 
and  have  the  clothes  of  the  cadets  carefully  collected  and  placed  in 
charge  of  Capt.  Semmes  whom  I  have  ordered  to  take  them  by 
packet  to  Richmond  Sunday  evening,  so  as  to  meet  us  there. 

*Bnd  of  an  Era.  .T.  S.  Wise. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  343 

"The  ladies  have  provided  most  sumptuous  repasts  for  the 
cadets.  I  should  desire  you  to  arrange  your  entrance  into  town  not 
earlier  than  9  a.  m.  I  have  selected  for  camp  ground  tlie  hill  imme- 
diately above  the  Depot,  the  same  ground  occupied  by  Echols's 
Brigade. 

"I  send  you  the  battle  flag,  which  I  had  ordered  three  weeks  ago, 
and  which  only  arrived  at  Lexington  Friday. 

"I  will  attend  to  your  trunk. 

"I  remain,  Col.,  very  resp., 

"Francis  H.  Smith, 

"Major-General."* 

According  to  a  report  of  the  Superintendent,  fully 
one-third  of  the  Corps  was  practically  barefooted  upon 
reaching  Staunton.  On  the  19th,  he  dispatched  Captain 
T.  M.  Sermnes  to  Lexington  to  pack  up  the  effects  of  the 
officers  and  cadets  and  to  convey  them  with  a  supply  of 
Quartermaster  and  Subsistence  stores  to  Richmond.** 

Upon  the  arrival  of  the  Corps,  the  following  order 
was  published: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"Staunton,  May  21,  1864. 

"General  Orders — No.  19. 

"I.  The  Superintendent  communicates  the  following  dispatch 
received  from  the  Adjutant-General: 

"'Richmond,  Va.,  May  16,  186i. 

"  'Major-Gen'al  F.  H.  Smith. 

"  'March  the  cadets  to  Richmond  and  report  to  Secretary  of  War. 
"  '(Copy  of  his  letter  of  to-day  to  the  Governor.) 

"  'The  signal  victory  just  achieved  by  General  Breckinridge  in 
the  Valley  culminated  in  the  retreat  of  the  enemy's  forces  that 
lately  threatened  along  the  line  of  the  Virginia  and  Tennessee 
Railroad,  and  relieved  forces  acting  as  reserves  in  that  quarter, 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  all  reserve  forces  at  command  would  be 
entirely  serviceable  in  strengthening  our  defense  and  enabling  us 
to  send  veteran  troops  to  the  battlefield.  Under  these  circum- 
stances I  have  thought  the  gallant  Corps  of  Cadets  at  the  Institute 
might  be  most  advantageously  summoned  here.  Where  else  could 
they  more  appropriately  signalize  their  valor  and  patriotism  than 
in  the  defense  of  the  Capital  of  their  native  State?     1,  therefore, 

♦From  original. 

♦*S.  O.   No.  121,  V.  M.   I..  Staunton,  Va..  May  1ft,   1864. 


344  The  Military  History  of 

venture  on  the  suggestion  and  make  the  request,  that  they  may  be 
called  here  to  aid  in  defense  of  the  Capital,  and  within  the  entrench- 
ments, or  in  guarding  some  of  our  most  important  lines  of  com- 
munication, as  circumstances  may  require. 

"  'J.  A.  Seddon, 

"  'Secretary  of  War. 
"  'By  command  of  W.  H.  Richardson, 
"  'Adjutant-General.' 

"II.  As  soon  as  the  command  can  reach  Staunton,  and  trans- 
portation can  be  furnished,  the  Infantry  Battalion  and  Section  of 
Artillery  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets  will  be  moved  to  Richmond. 

"III.     Two  days'  cooked  rations  will  be  taken. 

"IV.  Subsistence  stores  have  been  brought  from  the  Institute 
to  accompany  the  command. 

"V.  The  wagons,  ambulance  and  unnecessary  servants  will  be 
relieved,  and  ordered  back  to  Lexington. 

"VI.  Surgeon  Madison  will  remain  with  the  wounded  and  sick 
cadets  and  see  that  they  are  properly  cared  for.  Supplies  are  left 
in  Staunton  to  meet  their  wants. 

"VII.  The  Superintendent  has  no  words  to  express  his  sense 
of  the  gallant  conduct  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets  in  the  decisive  but 
sanguine  battle  of  New  Market  on  the  15th  inst. 

"The  patriotic  heart  of  the  Commonwealth  and  Confederacy 
respond  with  proud  and  grateful  emotion  at  the  fortitude,  courage 
and  gallant  bearing  of  these  brave  sons  of  the  South. 

"We  have  to  mourn  the  loss  of  the  dead — but  the  names  of 
Cabell,  Stanard,  Jones,  Crockett,  McDowell  and  Jefferson  [Atwill, 
Wheelwright  and  Haynes  had  not  yet  died],  will  be  honored  among 
the  most  valued  heroes  of  this  eventful  struggle,  and  the  scarred 
bodies  of  the  wounded  will  be  trophies  of  valor  and  patriotism  of 
which  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  will  ever  be  proud.  The 
Superintendent  would  return  his  thanks  to  I^t.-Col.  Shipp,  and  all 
the  Officers  and  Cadets,  for  their  conduct  in  this  trying  service. 

"By  command,  Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"J.  H.  Morrison, 

"A.  A.,  V.  M.  Inst." 

Sunday  the  22d,  after  a  triumphant  entry  into 
Staunton,  and  the  most  tremendous  ovation  the  Corps 
had  ever  received,  the  Battahon  and  Section  of  Artillery 
with  the  impressed  Rockbridge  horses,  entrained  for 
Richmond,  under  the  orders  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 
In  the  meantime,  Breckinridge's  command  had  been 
transferred  to  the  North  Anna,  where  Lee  found  it 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  345 

upon  arriving  there  on  the  22d.  The  battle  of  Yellow 
Tavern  had  been  fought  between  Sheridan  and  Stuart 
on  the  10th,  and,  while  the  former  did  not  succeed  in 
reaching  Richmond,  it  was  only  by  the  merest  chance 
that  the  Confederate  cavalry,  with  the  loss  of  the  heroic 
Stuart,  drove  him  back  after  he  had  carried  the  outer 
works.  At  this  time,  there  were  few  troops  to  guard 
the  extended  lines  about  Richmond,  and  the  constant 
threats  of  Sheridan's  cavalry  upon  the  works  north  of 
the  city  made  it  imperative  to  order  the  cadets  to  Rich- 
mond to  assist  at  this  critical  juncture  in  manning  the 
works.  They  were  not  merely  ordered  there  to  be 
decorated  with  laurels  as  seems  to  be  believed  by  some. 
"We  were  ordered  to  Richmond.  All  our  sadness 
disappeared.  What  mattered  it  to  us  that  we  were 
packed  into  freight  cars;  it  was  great  sport  riding  on 
the  tops  of  the  cars.  We  were  side-tracked  at  Ashland, 
and  there,  lying  on  the  ground  by  the  side  of  us,  was 
Stonewall  Jackson's  division.  We  had  heard  of  them 
and  looked  upon  them  as  the  greatest  soldiers  that  ever 
went  into  battle.  What  flattered  us  most  was  that  they 
had  heard  of  us.  While  waiting  at  Ashland  a  very  dis- 
tinguished-looking surgeon  entered  the  car,  inquiring 
for  some  cadet.  He  was  just  returning  from  the  battle- 
field of  Spottsylvania.  I  heard  with  absorbed  interest 
his  account  of  the  terrible  carnage  there,  and  when  he 
said  he  had  seen  a  small  tree  within  the  'bloody  angle' 
cut  down  by  the  bullets,  I  turned  to  Louis  and  said,  'I 
think  that  old  fellow  is  drawing  a  long  bow.'  The  per- 
son speaking  was  Dr.  Charles  Macgill.  I  afterwards 
learned  that  what  he  said  was  literally  true.  At  the 
moment,  when  we  were  lying  there  at  Ashland,  the 
armies  of  Grant  and  Lee,  moving  by  the  flank,  were 
passing,  the  one  about  us,  the  other  within  a  few  miles 
of  us,  from  the  battlefields  of  Spottsylvania  Court 
House  and  Milford  Station  to  their  ghastly  field  at 
Second  Cold  Harbor.  We  could  distinctly  hear  the  fir- 
ing in  our  front.  We  reached  Richmond  that  after- 
noon, and  were  quartered  in  one  of  the  buildings  of  the 


34<t)  The  Military  History  of 

Fair  Grounds,  known  as  'Camp  Lee.'  It  is  impossible 
to  describe  the  enthusiasm  with  which  we  were  received. 
"A  week  after  the  battle  of  New  Market,  the  Cadet 
Corps,  garlanded,  cheered  by  ten  thousand  throats,  in- 
toxicated with  praise  unstinted,  wheeled  proudly  around 
the  Washington  Monument  at  Richmond,  to  pass  in  re- 
view before  the  President  of  the  Confederate  States, 
to  hear  a  speech  of  commendation  from  his  lips,  and  to 
receive  a  stand  of  colors  from  the  Governor  of  Virginia. 

"No  wonder  that  our  band,  as  we  marched  back  to 
our  quarters,  played  lustily: 

"  'There's  not  a  trade  that's  going 
Worth  showing  or  knowing 
Like  that  from  glory  growing, 

P'or  the  bowld  soldier  boy. 
For  to  right  or  left  you  go, 
Sure  you  know,  friend  or  foe, 
He  is  bound  to  be  a  beau. 

Your  bowld  soldier  boy.'  " 

Crowds  of  people  assembled  all  along  the  route  to 
cheer  the  cadets,  of  whose  prowess  marvelous  tales  had 
spread  over  the  State.  On  reaching  Richmond  late  on 
the  23d,  the  Corps  was  met  at  the  Virginia  Central 
Depot  by  a  great  concourse  of  citizens.  Orders  were 
there  received  directing  the  Commandant  to  march  his 
command  to  Camp  Lee.  The  day  of  its  arrival,  the 
Second  Congress  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America 
passed  a  unanimous  resolution  of  thanks  to  the  Corps  of 
Cadets  for  its  heroic  services  at  New  Market. 

The  next  morning  the  following  order  was  published : 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"Richmond,  May  24,  1864. 
"Special  Orders — No.  122. 

"The  Corps  of  Cadets  will  be  reviewed  this  afternoon  on  the 
Capitol  Square  by  His  Excellency,  the  President  of  the  Confederate 
States,  in  the  presence  of  the  Governor  of  the  State,  and  the 
Secretary  of  War. 

"The  Battalion  of  Infantry  and  Section  of  Artillery  will  be 
formed,  accordingly,  and  marched  to  the  Capitol,  subject  to  the 
orders  of  the  Governor." 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  347 

Upon  reaching  the  Capitol,  the  President  dehvered 
a  stirring  address  to  the  Corps,  referring  to  its  eon- 
duct  at  New  Market  as  one  of  the  most  heroic  deeds  in 
the  annals  of  war.  Using  the  incident  as  one  of  special 
appeal  to  the  people  of  the  South  at  large,  in  the  dark 
hour  which  had  come  upon  them,  when  every  encourag- 
ing example  was  of  value  in  bestirring  them  to  make 
even  greater  sacrifices  than  they  had  already  made,  he 
concluded  by  thanking  the  cadets  in  the  name  of  the 
Confederate  States  of  America. 

Governor  Smith  then  presented  the  Corps  with  a 
handsome  stand  of  colors,  and,  after  expressing  the  hope 
that  they  would  be  borne  as  worthily  as  had  the  old  ones, 
he  thanked  the  Corps  in  the  name  of  the  Commonwealth 
of  Virginia. 

The  next  day,  the  Commandant  received  the  follow- 
ing letter : 

"House  of  Representatives, 

"Confederate  States  Congress, 

"May  25,   1864. 

"Colonel  Scott  Shipp, 

"Commandant  of  Cadets. 

"Sir — The  House  of  Representatives  has  passed  a  Resolution  in 
relation  to  the  participation  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets  in  the  victory 
over  Sigel,  gained  by  our  forces  near  New  Market,  on  the  fifteenth 
instant,  and  I  have  been  requested  to  communicate  this  Resolution 
to  you. 

"Had  I  known  that  you  would  have  been  in  the  city  yesterday  I 
would  have  availed  myself  of  the  opportunity  to  perform  that  duty. 
Please  let  me  know  when  the  Corps  will  be  again  in  the  City. 

"Very  truly  and  respectfully, 

"Thomas  S.  Bocock, 
"Speaker,  House  of  Representatives." 

Accordingly,  arrangements  were  at  once  made  for 
the  reappearance  of  the  Corps  at  the  Capitol  on  the 
28th,  when  Mr.  Speaker  Bocock  of  the  Confederate 
House  of  Representatives,  publicly  communicated  to 
the  Corps  the  Resolution  of  Congress  in  the  presence  of 
the  Senate  and  the  House  assembled. 


348  The  Military  History  of 

S.  O.  No.  121,  A.  and  I.  G.  O.,  Richmond,  Va.,  May 
25,  1864,  directed  the  Commandant  to  report  to  Major- 
General  Ransom,  Commanding  the  Department  of 
Richmond,  for  assignment  to  duty  with  Brigadier- Gen- 
eral G.  W.  C.  Lee,  commanding  the  Local  Defense 
Troops  of  Richmond.  On  the  26th,  General  Ransom 
requested  General  Lee  (no  doubt  upon  the  solicitation 
of  the  Superintendent)  to  have  the  Corps  ordered  into 
Camp  on  the  Brooke  Turnpike,  until  further  orders.* 

It  was  not,  however,  until  the  28th,  in  order  that  the 
ceremony  narrated  might  be  held,  that  the  Corps  left 
Camp  Lee,  moving  into  its  new  Camp  on  Carter's  farm 
on  the  intermediate  line  midway  between  the  Brooke 
and  Meadow  Bridge  Roads.** 

On  the  26th,  it  had  been  announced  by  S.  O.  No.  123, 
V.  M.  I.,  that  all  Assistant  Professors  assigned  to  duty 
as  Tactical  Officers  would  thereafter  hold  the  rank  of 
Captain.  The  annual  examinations  were  postponed  in- 
definitely, all  charges  against  the  cadets  for  the  period 
of  their  absence  from  the  Institute  in  the  field  were  re- 
mitted, and  July  4th  was  fixed  as  the  date  for  the  gradu- 
ation of  the  First  Class. 

The  Corps  was  now  acting  under  the  immediate 
orders  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  and  the 
position  of  the  Commandant  as  a  tactical  commander 
M^as  an  anomalous  one.  On  the  31st,  however,  the 
Superintendent  secured  from  the  Secretary  of  War  the 
promise  of  an  order  turning  the  Corps  over  to  the  State 
authorities,  an  on  the  4th,  S.  O.  No.  130,  A.  and  I. 
G.  O.,  directed  that  the  23  horses  which  had  been  im- 
pressed in  Lexington  for  gun  and  caisson  teams  be  re- 
turned  to    their    owners    forthwith. f      To    carry    this 

*  "Hd.    Qrs.    Dept.    Richmond. 

"May    26,    1864. 
"General — the  Major-General  Comd'g  desires  you  to  have  the  Corps  of  Cadets 
camped    on    the    Brooke    Turnpike    until    further    orders. 

"Yours   very  resp"y, 

"T.  O.  Chestney, 

"A.  A.  G."* 
♦•Rebellion   Records,    Series   I,   Vol.   XXXVII,   Part   1,   p.    752. 
tReport    of    Lieutenant-Colonel    Scott    Shipp.    July    4,    1864,    Including    report 
of  battle.     Rebellion  Records,  Series  I,  Vol.  XXXVII,  Part  1,  p.  fll. 

♦Prom  original  in  possession  of  General  Shipp. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  S-IQ 

order  into  execution,  the  Superintendent  directed  that 
Captain  T.  M.  Semmes  should  proceed  at  once  to  Lex- 
ington with  the  Section  of  Artillery,  the  horses,  and  all 
surplus  baggage,  via  the  Danville  and  Southside  Rail- 
roads as  far  as  Lynchburg. 

While  the  Corps  was  in  camp  on  Carter's  farm,  the 
President  took  occasion  to  appoint  three  cadets  from 
Mississippi,  Watson,  McConnico,  and  Greer,  under  the 
authority  conferred  upon  him  by  Congress. 

On  June  2d,  the  Corps,  upon  the  request  of  his  father, 
and  under  the  authority  of  the  Department  Com- 
mander, furnished  a  funeral  escort  for  the  remains  of 
Lieutenant  Peyton  Johnston,  Jr.,  of  the  Richmond 
Fayette  Artillery,  a  graduate  of  the  Institute,  who  was 
killed  at  Cold  Harbor.  But  while  posted  in  the  works, 
and  performing  regular  field  service  as  a  part  of  the  line 
of  defense,  no  active  duty  was  required  of  the  cadets, 
for  Lee  had  successfully  interposed  between  Grant  and 
Richmond,  and  Sheridan  had  been  driven  off  to  the 
flanks  of  the  Federal  Army.  Nevertheless,  the  service 
they  performed  at  this  time  was  most  important,  and 
comprised  their  seventh  tour  of  duty  in  the  field. 

"Hqrs.,  Va.  Mil.  Inst., 

"Richmond,  June  6,  1864. 
"Lt.-Col.  S.  Shipp, 

"Comd't  of  Cadets. 

"Colonel — General  Bragg  informed  me  last  night  that  our 
forces  had  been  badly  whipped  below  Staunton  (Piedmont),  Gen- 
eral W.  E.  Jones  being  killed.  The  command  now  devolves  upon 
General  A.  J.  Vaughan  (V.  M.  I.,  '51)  who  commands  a  Tennessee 
brigade  of  infantry.  He  has  fallen  back  upon  Staunton,  and,  it  was 
apprehended,  would  not  be  able  to  hold  it. 

"General  Bragg  informed  me  that  troops  Avould  be  immediately 
forwarded  to  drive  them.  It  is  possible  the  order  may  embrace  the 
Corps  of  Cadets,  but  do  not  know  this,  and  I  feel  it  to  be  my  duty 
to  give  you  this  information  that  you  may  be  in  readiness  for  a 
move. 

"Governor  Smith  is  of  opinion  that  tlie  cadets  should  be  imme- 
diately sent  back,  that  the  public  property  at  Lexington  may  be 
protected.  The  order  will  be  of  no  avail  unless  suitable  reinforce- 
ments are  sent. 


350  The  Military  History  of 

"I  send  by  Cadet  Clarkson  6  gross  of  Cadet  buttons,  which  the 
Q'r.  M'r.  can  issue  to  those  needing  them,  etc. 

"1  remain.  Col.,  very  resp't, 

"F.  H.  Smith, 

"Supt." 


"CONFIDENTIAL" 

"Headquarters,  Va.  Mil.  Institute, 

"Richmond,  June  6,  1864. 
"Lt.-Col.  S.  Shipp, 

"Com'd  of  Cadets. 

"Colonel — I  enclose  you  an  order  from  General  Bragg,  which 
is  made  after  arrangements  had  been  made  for  reinforcements  to 
be  sent  to  the  Valley. 

"These  reinforcements  will  consist  of  Breckinridge's  division, 
which  will  move  to  South  Anna  Bridge,  then  march  to  Beaver  Dam 
and  there  take  cars. 

"If  command  can  be  moved  in  by  5  to  take  the  train  to  Lynch- 
burg this  evening,  it  will  be  important  to  do  so,  and  I  will  endeavor 
to  send  transportation  for  you. 

"I  remain.  Colonel,  very  resp't, 

"F.  H.  Smith, 

"Supt. 

"You  will  have  to  notify  the  Q'r.  M'r.  here  immediately,  that  he 
mav  make  arrangements  for  the  cars. 

"F.  H.  S."* 


"Adjutant-General's  Office, 

"Richmond,  June  6,  1864. 
"Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"Superintendent,  Virginia  Military  Institute. 

"General — The  Corps  of  Cadets  having  been  by  order  of  the 
President  turned  over  to  the  State  Authority  and  the  movements  of 
the  enemy  appearing  to  involve  the  safety  of  the  Institute,  and 
other  public  property,  at  Lexington,  the  Governor  directs  that  you 
cause  the  Corps  to  be  returned  to  the  Institute  by  railroad,  via 
Lynchburg,  or  other  route  if  found  more  practicable. 

"The  Governor  approves  the  order  of  Ex-Governor  Letcher  of 
4th  September,  1863,  and  adopts  it,  so  far  as  at  present  applicable. 

"Should  the  public  property  at  the  Institute  be  found  unmolested, 
and  practicable  to  be  reached  and  defended,  you  will  adopt  proper 
measures  for  that  purpose. 

♦Originals  of  foregoing  letters  in  possession  of  General  Shipp. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  351 

"In  the  event  of  difficulty,  or  peril,  in  making  that  defense  except 
by  co-operation  with  the  troops  of  tlie  Confederate  Government,  it 
will  be  needful  to  afford  the  co-operation,  at  least  to  such  an  extent 
as  the  security  of  the  Military  Institute  may  require,  of  which  you 
must  of  necessity  be  the  judge.  Bearing  in  mind,  however,  always, 
that  the  Corps  be  not  further  exposed  in  battle  than  absolute  neces- 
sity may  require. 

"By  command, 

"Wm,  H.  Richardson, 

"Adj't.-Gen'l." 

The  Commandant  lost  no  time  in  making  his  prepara- 
tions  for  the  move,  and  leaving  Richmond  the  morning 
of  the  7th,  arrived  in  Lynchburg  at  11  p.  m.  on  the  8th. 
Proceeding  immediately  from  that  point  by  canal  boat 
to  Lexington,  the  Corps  reached  the  Institute  at  3 
p.  M.  on  the  9th,  after  an  absence  of  one  month,  lacking 
two  days.  During  the  28  days  of  its  absence,  the  Corps 
had  marched  from  Lexington  to  New  Market,  85  miles, 
in  5  days;  fought  a  battle  in  which  it  lost  nearly  a 
quarter  of  its  members;  marched  from  New  Market  to 
Staunton  (47  miles)  in  3  days,  almost  without  shoes; 
moved  to  Richmond  by  rail;  received  the  public  thanks 
of  the  Confederate  Congress,  the  President,  and  the 
Governor  of  Virginia,  and  a  stand  of  colors;  spent  two 
weeks  in  the  works  of  the  intermediate  line  of  defense ; 
and  returned  to  Lexington  to  save  the  Institute,  if 
possible;  and  actually  coming  under  the  enemy's  fire 
within  48  hours  after  its  arrival. 


352  The  Militaky  History  of 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

HUNTEB^S    RAID^DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    INSTITUTE IN 

TPIE   TRENCHES   AT   LYNCHBURG FURI-OUGHED 

When  the  Corps  returned  to  the  Institute,  it  found 
Barracks  tenanted  by  seven  new  cadets  who  had  just 
matriculated  when  the  BattaHon  was  ordered  to  take 
the  fiekl  in  ^lay;  being  entirely  ignorant  of  military 
duty  they  had  been  drafted  to  remain  behind,  much  to 
their  chagrin  and  sorrow.*  A  number  of  the  wounded, 
including  Captain  Hill,  had  also  been  received  at  the 
hospital.  Colonel  Preston  who  had  returned  on  the 
23d  of  May  had  (with  Colonel  Massie)  remained  in 
charge. 

The  past  fortnight  had  been  a  period  of  constant 
alarm  for  the  residents  of  Lexington. 

May  21st,  Major-General  David  Hunter  superseded 
Sigel  in  command  of  the  Department  of  West  Virginia. 
Arriving  at  Martinsburg  on  that  date,  he  joined  the 
troops  turned  over  to  him  by  Sigel  at  Cedar  Creek  on 
the  26th,  and  soon  completed  his  preparations  to  march 
up  the  Valley. 

Meantime,  Crook's  colunm,  which  had  defeated  the 
Confederates  at  Cloyd's  Mountain  on  the  9th,  burned 
the  important  railroad  bridge  spanning  New  River  on 
the  10th,  and  then  returning  to  Meadow  Bluff  for  sup- 
plies, had  been  joined  by  Averell  with  the  cavalry  force 
which  had  been  previously  detached  to  operate  towards 
Wji;heville.  On  the  30th,  Crook  moved  towards 
Staimton. 

June  5th,  Hunter  met  the  force  under  W.  E.  Jones 
at  Piedmont,  defeating  it,  killing  Jones,  and  capturing 
1,500    prisoners.      The    next    day,    his    army    entered 

♦Included  among  these  was  the  present  distinguished  TJ.  S.  Senator  from 
Virginia,    T.    S.    Martin. 


brigadip:u-gp:xekal  scott  shipp 

Assistant  Professou  ]  859-1862 
Commandant  of  Cadets  1862-1890 

Superintendent    1 890-1907 
Superintendent    Emeritus    1907- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  3.53 

Staunton,  where  he  was  joined  by  Crook  on  the  7th  and 
8th.  After  destroying  the  raih'oads  in  the  vicinity,  the 
collected  supplies  for  the  Confederate  Arm}^  and  all 
the  manufacturing  establishments  in  the  city,  the 
united  forces  advanced  on  Lexington,  June  10th,  the 
day  after  the  Corps  arrived  there. 

Hunter's  Army  now  consisted  of  the  forces  which 
Sigel,  Crook,  and  Averell  had  formerly  commanded. 
It  included  two  large  infantry  divisions  of  three  bri- 
gades each,  with  a  total  of  22  regiments;  two  divisions 
of  cavalry,  with  a  total  of  fifteen  regiments ;  and  7  bat- 
teries of  artillery.  The  whole  command  must  have 
numbered  about  20,000  men.  Among  the  officers  were 
Colonel  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  commanding  the  1st 
Brigade,  2d  Infantry  division;  Major  William  McKin- 
ley;  and  Captain  Henry  A.  du  Pont  of  the  5th  U.  S. 
Artillery,  commanding  the  four  batteries  attached  to 
the  cavalry.  The  first  two  subsequently  became  Presi- 
dents of  the  United  States,  and  Captain  du  Pont  is  the 
present  distinguished  United  States  Senator  from 
Delaware. 

From  Staunton,  Hunter  marched  his  army  up  the 
Valley  in  four  columns,  by  parallel  roads.  The  infantry 
division  under  General  Crook,  and  the  cavalry  division 
under  General  Averell,  moving  by  the  most  western 
route,  were  opposed  by  McCausland  with  about  1,400 
mounted  men  and  a  battery. 

McCausland  was  easily  driven  back  from  the  succes- 
sive positions  be  sought  to  hold,  and  it  was  soon  ap- 
parent that  Lexington  was  doomed,  a  fact  all  the  more 
bitter  because  in  Hunter's  Army  were  the  very  troops 
which  the  cadets  had  helped  defeat  less  than  a  month 
before,  at  New  Market. 

On  the  night  of  the  10th,  McCausland  was  joined  by 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Shipp,  who  bivouacked  with  him 
at  the  junction  of  the  Goshen  and  Staunton  roads. 
Early  that  morning,  the  Confederate  cavalry  pickets 
came  scurrying  in  with  the  news  that  a  large  column  of 
the  enemy  was   proceeding  towards   Lexington   from 


28 


354  The  Military  History  of 

Brownsbiirg,  and  other  reports  soon  arrived  that  every 
road  leading  up  the  Valley  was  in  possession  of 
Hunter's  columns.  McCausland's  small  force  could  not 
even  compel  them  to  deploy. 

AVhen  the  report  reached  Lexington  on  the  6th,  that 
the  enemy  was  at  Millboro,  and  on  the  7th,  that  Averell 
was  at  Jordan's  Furnace,  but  thirty  miles  distant,  with 
not  a  Confederate  soldier  between  the  enemy  and  Lex- 
ington, Colonel  Preston,  in  charge  at  that  time,  had  set 
about  the  task  of  packing  up  everything  movable  at  the 
Institute.  The  next  day,  he  issued  orders  for  one  of 
the  wounded  cadets  who  was  not  expected  to  live  to  be 
moved  to  his  quarters,  upon  the  approach  of  the  enemy, 
and  to  be  concealed  to  save  him  from  capture. 

Besides  the  four  6-pounder  guns  and  the  12-pounder 
howitzer  of  the  Cadet  Battery,  there  were  at  the  Insti- 
tute four  brass  6-pounders,  the  two  3-inch  rifles  returned 
from  Richmond,  and  a  large  amount  of  artillery  am- 
munition. This  material,  as  well  as  all  quartermaster 
and  conmiissary  stores,  the  Superintendent  caused  to 
be  loaded  and  six  canal  boats  with  a  view  to  sending 
them  on  to  LjTichburg.*  He  also  took  precautions  to 
secure  the  more  vital  records  but  it  was  impossible,  in 
the  limited  time  available,  to  remove  the  scientific  ap- 
paratus and  equipment,  and  the  large  and  valuable  col- 
lection of  books  in  the  library  of  the  Institute. 

The  Superintendent,  perceiving  the  futility  of  op- 
position to  such  a  force  as  that  with  which  Hunter  was 
advancing,  protested  from  the  first  against  any  at- 
tempt at  defending  Lexington,  which  would,  in  his 
opinion,  only  expose  the  town  and  the  Institute  to 
retaliatory  measures,  on  the  part  of  the  enemy. 

On  the  10th,  he  wired  Breckinridge,  through  Gen- 
eral Bragg,  as  follows: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"June  10,  1864,  6  p.  m. 

"General  Breckinridge — I  have  just  left  McCausland's  camp 
two  miles  from  Lexington.     He  has  been  fighting  Averell's  cavalry, 

♦Rebellion   Records,    Series   I,   Vol.   XXXVII,    Part   1,   pp.    730-97. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  355 

estimated  at  5,000  strong,  all  day,  from  one  and  a  half  miles  this 
side  Staunton  to  Brownsburg,  and  his  scouts  report  that  Crook 
entered  Fairfield  this  afternoon,  with  upward  of  six  regiments  of 
infantry  and  200  cavalry.  If  pursued  by  either  column,  Mc- 
Causland  will  not  be  able  to  hold  Lexington.  The  plans  of  the 
enemy  are  developed;  they  camp  to-night  at  Cedar  Grove,  nine 
miles  from  Lexington,  and  at  Fairfield,  twelve  miles  from  Lex- 
ington. 

"F.  H.  Smith, 

*^  Superintendent."* 

All  during  the  night  of  the  10th,  however,  the  Corps 
was  lield  under  arms,  and,  upon  the  return  of  the  Com- 
mandant from  McCausland's  headquarters,  the  cadet 
howitzer  was  ordered  down  to  the  bridge  in  East  Lex- 
ington, and  a  company  of  cadets  under  Captain  Wise 
posted  on  the  hillside  in  rear,  as  a  support,  with  in- 
structions to  burn  the  bridge,  while  the  howitzer  blew 
out  the  piers,  upon  the  approach  of  the  enemy. 

"Resistance  to  a  force  like  Hunter's  being  out  of  the 
question,  we  were  ordered  to  prepare  for  the  evacuation 
of  Lexington.  A  detail  of  sappers  was  sent  forthwith 
to  the  bridge  across  the  North  River,  with  directions  to 
load  it  with  bales  of  hay  saturated  with  turpentine,  leav- 
ing space  just  sufficient  for  the  passage  of  McCaus- 
land's retreating  forces.  Before  sunrise,  the  main  body 
of  our  troops  came  streaming  down  the  hills  across  the 
river;  and,  half  a  mile  behind  them,  their  rear  guard 
emerged  from  the  woods  along  the  hilltops,  skirmish- 
ing with,  and  hotly  pressed  by,  the  enemy.  At  the 
river,  after  crossing  the  bridge,  McCausland  deployed 
a  force  upon  the  bluffs  above  and  below  the  bridge,  to 
cover  the  crossing  of  the  rear  guard."** 

But  long  ere  this,  the  young  professor  commanding 
the  Confederate  troops  knew  that  it  was  beyond  his 
power  to  save  the  Institute  to  which  he  was  attached 
with  the  devotion  peculiar  to  its  graduates. 

"The  rear  guard,  called  in,  rallied  at  a  run  to  the 
bridge ;  and  the  Union  skirmishers,  emboldened  by  their 

♦Rebellion  Records,   Series  I,   Vol.  XXXVII.   Part  1,   pp-   7.56-57. 
**End  of  an  Era,  J.  S.  Wise. 


356  The  Military  History  of 

quick  movements,  dashed  after  them  down  the  hills. 
Coming  too  near  to  the  force  behind  the  bluffs,  they 
were  compelled  to  retreat  under  a  heavy  fire  upon 
Hunter's  advance-guard,  which  was  now  coming  up. 
A  battery  of  Union  artillery,  under  Captain  Henry  A. 
du  Pont,  galloped  out  upon  the  hills  overlooking  Lex- 
ington from  the  north  side  of  the  river,  and  opened 
fire  upon  the  Institute.  A  section  of  McCausland's 
artillery  came  up,  after  crossing  the  bridge,  took 
position  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  parade  ground, 
to  respond  to  du  Pont.  As  soon  as  our  troops  were 
across  the  bridge,  it  was  fired,  and  a  column  of  black 
smoke  rolled  heavenward.  Our  sappers,  their  task  per- 
formed, hurried  back  at  double  time  to  rejoin  their  re- 
spective companies.  Along  the  pike  in  the  valley,  in 
front  of  the  Institute,  the  cavalry,  weary  and  depressed, 
was  retiring  to  the  town. 

"The  whole  panorama,  front  and  rear,  was  visible 
from  the  Institute  grounds,  and  made  a  very  pretty 
war  scene. 

"When  the  Union  battery  opened,  the  Corps  was 
drawn  up  in  front  of  the  Barracks  awaiting  orders.  It 
was  of  course  invisible  to  the  enemy  from  his  position 
directly  in  rear  of  Barracks.  If  his  guns  had  been 
aimed  at  the  center  of  the  building,  his  shells  would  have 
exploded  in  our  midst.  But  the  massive  parts  were  at 
the  corners,  where  the  towers  were  grouped,  and  thither 
the  fire  was  directed.  The  first  shell  that  struck  crashed 
in  the  hall  of  the  Society  of  Cadets,  sending  down 
showers  of  brickbats  and  plaster  when  it  exploded. 
Thereupon,  we  were  ordered  to  pass  over  the  parapet 
in  front  of  the  Barracks,  and  thence  were  marked  west- 
ward until  clear  of  the  building,  so  as  to  avoid  the 
splinters  and  debris.  It  was  very  well;  for  while  several 
of  his  guns  turned  their  attention  to  our  section  of 
artillery  on  the  parade  ground,  Captain  Harry  filled 
the  air  with  fragments  as  he  povmded  away  at  our 
quarters."* 

*To-day  (1914)  may  be  seen  two  solid  shot  imbedded  in  the  central  tower  of 
the  East  wing  of  Barracks. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  357 

"In  our  new  position  under  the  parapet,  about  op- 
posite the  Guard  Tree,  although  fully  protected,  we 
were  nearly  in  the  line  of  fire  of  the  shots  directed  at 
our  battery.  A  number  of  shells  struck  the  parade 
ground,  some  exploding  there,  and  others  ricochetting 
over  our  heads." 

One  can  imagine  the  infinite  satisfaction  the  Federal 
witnesses  derived  from  this  bombardment  of  the  "Hor- 
net's Nest"  in  Lexington.  Hunter,  Crook,  Hayes,  and 
McKinlev  were  too  well  informed  not  to  understand  the 
infinite  value  to  the  Confederacy  of  Virginia's  School 
of  Arms,  and  du  Pont,  at  New  Market,  and  Averell, 
on  three  former  occasions,  had  had  personal  experience 
with  the  Young  Guard  of  Virginia. 

"With  heavy  hearts,  we  passed  through  the  town, 
bidding  adieu  to  such  of  the  residents  as  we  had  known 
in  happier  days." 

It  had  been  expected  that  horses  would  be  impressed 
for  the  Cadet  Battery,  but  finding  this  impossible,  at 
the  last  moment,  the  five  venerable  pieces  had  to  be 
abandoned  to  the  enemy,  for  lack  of  teams  to  draw  them 
off.  They  were  left  in  the  gun  shed,  with  their  caissons 
and  equipment. 

"No  words  would  describe  our  feelings  as  we  rested 
on  the  roadside.  .  .  .  The  place  was  endeared  by 
a  thousand  memories,  but  above  all  other  thoughts,  it 
galled  and  mortified  us  that  we  had  been  compelled  to 
abandon  it  without  firing  a  shot." 

Thinking  that  the  Federal  cavalry  would  attempt  to 
cut  off  the  retreating  column  from  L\Tichburg,  the  Com- 
mandant led  the  Corps  out  of  Lexington  by  the  boat 
yard  road,  across  North  River,  some  distance  east  of 
the  town.  The  first  halt  was  made  about  four  miles  out 
at  a  cherry  tree  which  a  kind  old  farmer  turned  over  to 
the  cadets  and  from  which  many  of  them  ate  their  fill. 
That  old  cherry  tree  still  stands  beside  the  road,  but  it 
has  never  afforded  more  real  enjoyment  than  it  did  to 
those  hungry  pedestrians  on  June  11,  1864. 


358  The  Military  History  of 

The  Corps  reached  Balcony  Falls  where  the  North 
River  enters  the  James,  that  evening,  and  soon  it  was 
reported  that  the  enemy  was  pursuing.  The  gorge 
through  which  the  James  River  rushes  at  Balcony  Falls 
extends  eastward  for  some  miles  and  offers  many  de- 
fensible positions.  The  Commandant,  accordingly,  fell 
back  down  the  pass  about  two  miles,  and  placed  the 
Corps  in  the  position  in  which  he  could  offer  the  greatest 
resistance.  Pickets  were  thrown  forward,  and  all  that 
night  cadets  rested  on  their  arms,  and  until  noon  the 
following  day,  Sunday,  the  12th.  "Then,  we  as- 
certained that  General  Hunter  had  passed  up  the 
Valley  to  the  approaches  to  Lynchburg,  by  way  of  the 
Peaks  of  Otter."  The  Corps  proceeded  on  its  route  to 
the  Rope  Ferry,  four  miles  below  Balcony  Falls. 

On  the  12th,  Averell  had  dispatched  a  column  of  200 
mounted  men  from  Lexington  across  the  Blue  Ridge, 
to  reconnoiter  in  the  direction  of  Lynchburg,  via  Am- 
herst Court  House.  Learning  the  next  day  of  their 
presence  east  of  the  mountains,  Breckinridge,  who  was 
moving  with  his  division  by  forced  marches  from  Rock- 
fish  Gap  to  Lynchburg,  directed  Imboden  at  the  latter 
point,  to  cooperate  with  him  in  cutting  off  their  escape, 
and,  with  that  end  in  view,  to  hold  the  Corps  of  Cadets 
at  Rope  Ferry.*  Accordingly,  Imboden  dispatched 
the  following  communication  to  the  Superintendent  who 
was  with  the  cadets : 

"Lynchburg,  12  m.  (noon),  June  14.,  1864. 

"General  F.  H.  Smith, 
"Comd'g,  etc. 

"Gen. — Hold  your  position  at  the  Rope  Ferry.  I  have  ordered 
MeCausland  to  Waugh's  Ferry.  General  Breckinridge  is  closing 
upon  the  enemy  from  Lovingston.  I  am  moving  to  cut  him  off 
from  all  the  gaps  north  of  you.  If  his  escape  can  be  prevented,  we 
will  capture  his  whole  force. 

"Yours  resp't'y, 

"J.  D.  Imboden, 

"Brig.-Ge7i'l., 

"Com'd'g."** 

♦Rebellion  Records,  Series  1,  Vol.  XXXVII,  I'art  1,  p.  157. 
•♦Original  in  General   Shipp's  possession. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  3.59 

The  Corps  remained  at  the  Rope  Ferry  from  Satur- 
day evening  until  Wednesday  the  15th,  being  detained 
there  all  that  time  not  only  to  hold  the  pass,  but  to  guard 
the  property  of  refugees  who  collected  in  the  pass  from 
various  parts  of  the  Upper  Valley.  Apprehending 
danger  from  Hmiter's  advance  which  McCausland  was 
powerless  to  stay.  General  Smith  ordered  the  Com- 
mandant, on  the  15th,  to  move  the  Corps  by  canal 
boats  to  Lynchburg.  While  on  the  way,  a  courier  met 
the  Superintendent  with  a  dispatch  from  Breckinridge, 
ordering  the  cadets  to  move  immediately  to  that  city  by 
the  north  side  of  the  river,  and  stating  that  the  force  of 
raiders  had  circled  around  Lynchburg,  and  were  mov- 
ing on  the  south  side  to  join  Hunter.  When  this 
dispatch  was  received,  the  cadets  had  passed  Waugh's 
Ferry,  so  that  the  danger  of  a  coUison  with  the  raiders 
was  past.  They  arrived  in  Lynchburg  at  8  a.  m.  on  the 
16th,  as  Breckinridge's  troops  were  arriving,  while  the 
raiders  joined  Averell  about  noon  the  same  day  at 
Liberty  (Bedford  City). 

Returning  to  Lexington,  we  shall  let  Mrs.  Preston 
describe  the  entrance  of  the  enemy  on  the  lltli: 

"Evening:  Our  fears  have  all  been  realized;  the 
enemy  is  upon  us,  and  is  in  pursuit  of  McCausland,  who 
left  the  town  about  an  hour  before  they  entered.  About 
ten  o'clock  this  morning,  McCausland  burned  the  bridge 
as  the  enemy  approached  it;  he  then  began  to  fire  upon 
them.  We  have  been  shelled  in  reply  all  day;  one  shell 
exploded  in  our  orchard,  a  few  yards  beyond  us, — our 
house  being  just  in  their  range,  as  they  threw  them  at 
the  retreating  Confederates.  The  cadets,  my  husband 
among  them,  remained  on  the  Institute  hill,  till  shot 
and  shell  fell  so  thick  that  it  was  dangerous;  the  cadets 
then  retreated,  and  are  several  hours  ahead.  But  they 
are  infantry  and  this  is  a  cavalry  force.  Mr.  P.  is  just 
two  hours  ahead  of  them."  Colonel  Preston,  it  should 
be  interpolated,  had  been  placed  in  charge  of  the 
flotilla  of  barges,  on  which  the  movable  property  had 
been  packed,  and  ordered  to  proceed  down  the  canal 
with  them  to  Lynchburg. 


360  The  Military  History  of 

"The  i^eople  from  the  lower  part  of  the  town  fled 
from  their  dwelhngs,  and  our  house  was  filled  with 
women  and  children."* 

"Just  in  the  midst  of  the  thickest  shelling  the  poor 
wounded  boy  from  the  Institute  hospital  was  carried 
here,  surroimded  by  a  guard  of  cadets.  He  has  borne 
the  removal  well.  I  have  distributed  some  of  J.'s 
[Jackson's]  blackberry  wine,  which  I  have  always  for- 
borne to  open,  among  the  frightened  and  almost  faint- 
ing ladies.  About  4  o'clock  the  head  of  the  Yankee 
colimm  came  in  sight.  I  went  out  and  watched  them 
approach;  saw  six  of  our  pickets  run  ahead  of  them 
some  ten  minutes.  For  two  hours  there  was  one  con- 
tinuous stream  of  cavalry,  riding  at  a  fast  trot,  and 
several  abreast,  passing  out  at  the  top  of  the  town. 
(South  end.)  Then  the  infantry  began  to  pour  in; 
these  remained  behind,  and,  with  cavalry  who  came 
after,  flooded  the  town.  They  began  to  pour  into  our 
yard  and  kitchen,  half  a  dozen  at  a  time,  and  I  hesitated 
not  to  speak  in  the  most  firm  and  commanding  tone  to 
them.  At  first,  they  were  content  to  receive  bacon,  two 
slices  apiece;  but  they  soon  became  insolent;  demanded 
the  smokehouse  key,  and  told  me  they  would  break  the 
door  miless  I  opened  it.  I  protested  against  their 
pillage,  and  with  a  score  of  them  surrounding  me,  with 
guns  in  their  hands,  proceeded  to  the  smokehouse  and 
threw  it  open,  entreating  them  at  the  same  time,  by  the 
respect  they  had  for  their  wives,  mothers,  and  sisters, 
to  leave  me  a  little  meat.  They  heeded  me  no  more  than 
wild  beasts  would  have  done;  swore  at  me;  and  left  me 
not  one  piece.  Some  rushed  down  the  cellar  steps, 
seized  the  newly-churned  butter  there,  and  made  off. 
I  succeeded  in  keeping  them  out  of  the  house.  We  had 
no  dinner;  managed  to  procure  a  little  supper;  we  had 

•This  was  a  dwelling  on  the  college  grounds,  formerly  occupied  by  Dr. 
Junkin,  President  of  Washington  College,  and  the  father  of  Mrs.  Preston. 
Being  a  Northern  sympathizer,  he  removed  from  Virginia  at  the  outbreali  of 
the  war ;  but  Mrs.  Preston  remained  loyal  to  the  sentiments  of  her  husband. 
The  house  was  also  occupied  by  Jackson  while  a  professor  after  his  marriage 
to  Mrs.  Preston's  sister.  His  first  wife  died  about  a  year  after  her  marriage, 
and  about  two  years  later  Jackson  married  Miss  Morrison,  of  Charlotte,  N.  C, 
and  removed  to  a  large  brick  house  in  Lexington,  now  become  the  Stonewall 
Jackson  Memorial  Hospital. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  361 

nailed  up  all  the  windows.  I  wrote  a  polite  note  to 
General  Averell  asking  for  a  guard ;  none  was  sent.  At 
ten,  we  went  to  bed,  feeling  that  we  had  nothing  be- 
tween these  ravagers  and  us,  but  God's  protecting 
arm." 

Now,  here,  it  should  be  remarked,  this  is  the  evidence 
of  a  noble.  Christian  woman,  a  Northerner  by  birth  and 
rearing,  contemporaneously  recorded.  It  must,  there- 
fore, be  accepted  as  true,  and  nothing  that  could  be 
written  could  so  well  illustrate  the  lack  of  discipline  of 
Hunter's  troops  which  his  better  officers  were  powerless 
to  restrain.  The  men  took  their  tone  from  Hunter,  in 
whom  there  was  none  of  the  magnanimity  of  the  victor 
so  generally  characteristic  of  the  leaders  in  both  armies. 
Small  wonder  that  his  Lexington  relatives  have  dis- 
owned him  and  refer  to  him  to-day,  after  all  trace  of 
sectional  bitterness  has  died  out,  as  the  Renegade 
Vandal,  for  what  occurred  at  the  residence  of  Mrs. 
Preston  happened  in  almost  every  other  house  in 
Lexington. 

"Sunday  Morning,  June  12th:  A  day  I  will  never 
forget.  I  slept  undisturbed  during  the  night,  but  was 
called  downstairs  early  this  morning  by  the  servants  who 
told  me  the  throng  of  soldiers  could  not  be  kept  out  of 
the  house.  I  went  down  and  appealed  to  them  as  a  lone 
woman  who  had  nobody  to  protect  her.  I  might  as  well 
have  appealed  to  the  bricks.  I  had  left  the  smokehouse 
door  open  to  let  them  see  that  every  piece  of  meat  was 
taken.  .  .  .  They  came  into  the  dining  room,  and 
began  to  carry  away  the  china,  when  a  young  fellow 
from  Philadelphia  (he  said)  took  the  dishes  from  them 
and  made  them  come  out.  I  told  them  I  was  a  Northern 
woman,  but  confessed  I  was  ashamed  of  my  Northern 
lineage,  when  I  saw  them  come  on  such  an  errand. 
They  demanded  to  be  let  into  the  cellar,  and  one  fellow 
threatened  me  with  the  burning  of  the  house,  if  I  did 
not  give  them  just  what  they  demanded.  I  said,  'Yes, 
we  are  at  your  mercy — burn  it  down, — but  I  won't  give 
you  the  key.'     They  then  demanded  arms;  we  got  the 


362  The  Military  History  of 

old  shot  guns  and  gave  them;  these  they  broke  up,  and 
left  parts  of  them  in  the  yard;  broke  into  the  cellar; 
carried  off  a  firkin  of  lard  hidden  there;  a  keg  of  mo- 
lasses, and  whatever  they  could  find.  They  asked  me 
if  we  had  no  more  than  this.  I  answered,  'Yes,  but  it  is 
in  the  mountains.'  Sent  to  General  Crook  for  a  guard 
— At  last,  they  pressed  into  the  house,  and  began  to 
search  my  dressing  room.  What  they  took  I  don't  know. 
They  seized  our  breakfast,  and  even  snatched  the 
toasted  bread  and  egg  that  had  been  begged  for  the 
sick  man's  breakfast.  My  children  were  crying  for 
something  to  eat;  I  had  nothing  to  give  them  but 
crackers.  They  set  fire  to  the  Institute  about  9  o'clock ; 
the  flames  are  now  enveloping  it ;  the  towers  have  fallen ; 
the  Arsenal  is  exploding  as  I  write.  Governor  Letcher's 
house  has  been  burned  down,  and  they  told  me  that  all 
the  V.  M.  I.  Professors'  houses  were  to  be  burned, 
Colonel  Preston's  among  them.  At  last  old  Dr.  Mc- 
Clung  came,  and  Phoebe*  asked  him  to  go  to  Averell's 
headquarters  with  her  (Averell  had  his  headquarters  in 
Dr.  White's  yard)  ;  she  went;  did  not  see  the  General, 
but  found  a  young  man  there  (from  Philadelphia)  who 
came  back  with  her  and  ordered  the  men  off.  By  and 
by,  an  officer  came,  and  asked  for  me;  told  me  he  had 
heard  we  were  annoyed;  said  he  was  mortified  and 
would  send  a  guard,  though  he  had  no  authority  to  do 
so.  .  .  .  Let  me  note  here,  and  I  do  it  with  chagrin 
and  shame,  that  the  only  really  civil  men  have  been 
those  from  Western  Virginia  and  those  two  Philadel- 
phians.  Invariably,  those  from  Virginia  were  polite; 
one  offered  silver  for  some  bread.  I  had  nothing  but 
crackers,  which  I  gave  him,  remarking  that  he  was  on 
the  wrong  side  for  a  Virginian.  He  looked  decidedly 
ashamed. 

"It  was  12  o'clock  before  we  could  get  any  breakfast. 
They  carried  off  the  coffee  pot  and  everything  they 
could  lay  their  hands  on,  and  while  a  'guard',  a  boy  of 
IT,  was  walking  around  the  house,  they  emptied  the 

♦Colonel   Preston's  eldest  daughter. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  363 

corn  crib.  I  asked  Dr.  P.  to  take  the  library  for  his 
medical  stores,  which  he  agreed  to  do;  he  was  really 
polite.  We  asked  him  if  he  were  going  to  burn  our 
house;  he  said,  'Not  if  it  is  private  property.'  General 
Hmiter  has  ordered  the  burning  of  all  the  V.  M.  I.  Pro- 
fessors' houses.  Mrs.  Smith  pled  for  hers  to  be  spared, 
on  account  of  her  daughter  who  lies  there  desperately 
ill  (in  child  birth)  ;  that  alone  saved  it. 

"Hunter  has  his  headquarters  in  it.  This  has  been 
an  awfid  day,  and  it  may  be  worse  before  night.  One 
cavalryman  told  me  that  if  they  all  talked  as  I  did,  they 
would  fire  the  entire  town. 

"12  o'clock:  We  have  just  heard  that  General  Smith, 
Colonel  Williamson,  and  Colonel  Gilliam,  with  some  of 
the  cadets,  have  been  taken  prisoners! 

"Three  o'clock  p.  m.  :  I  am  in  despair.  Forty 
thousand  troops  are  marching  upon  Richmond  through 
here;  eight  thousand  more  left  in  Staunton,  as  an  in- 
telligent guard  told  us.  Richmond  must  fall — how  can 
it  withstand  such  numbers?     .     .     . 

"Monday  Morning,  June  13th:  .  .  .  We  were 
told  the  house  was  to  be  searched  as  some  of  our  neigh- 
bors' had  been.  I  delivered  up  all  the  sporting  guns, 
but  forgot  that  I  had  hidden  Jackson's  sword  in  a  dark 
loft  above  the  portico.  At  one  o'clock  last  night,  I 
crept  up  there  as  stealthily  as  a  burglar,  and  brought  it 
down,  intending  to  deliver  it  up  to  Lt.  B. ;  but  running 
up  the  back  way  to  Dr.  White's  gate,  and  consulting 
him,  he  said  he  had  his  old  sword  which  had  never  been 
in  service,  and  advised  me  to  keep  it  as  long  as  I  could. 
I  have  hidden  it  in  Anna  Jackson's  piano.  We  hear 
that  we  are  to  be  searched  in  the  morning ;  almost  every 
house  in  town  has  been,  and  but  for  the  interest  this  Lt. 
has  taken  in  us,  I  believe  we  should  have  been  too. 

"General  Smith's  house  has  not  been  burned,  they 
have  not  yet  discovered  our  wounded  man.  .  .  . 
We  hear  many  times  this  morning  tliat  the  cadets  have 
lieen  captured." 


364  The  Military  History  of 

A  number  of  the  cadets  had  stored  their  trunks  in 
Colonel  Preston's  house  before  departing.  These  were 
now  opened  and  the  contents  destroyed  upon  the  advice 
of  the  friendly  officer,  for  fear  they  might  be  discovered, 
for,  by  an  oversight,  or  through  the  design  of  the  officer, 
the  provost-marshal  had  included  the  house  in  his  list 
which  he  certified  had  been  searched.  "I  became  so 
alarmed  that  I  thought  it  time  he,  the  Lieutenant,  should 
know  the  wounded  man  was  here,  so  I  said,  'Come  in 
and  see  the  wounded  cadet !'  He  seemed  surprised,  but 
came  in,  and  talked  very  civilly;  the  cadet  lay  pale  and 
motionless,  never  opening  his  eyes.  The  guard  asked 
if  we  did  not  need  help  in  sitting  up  with  him  at  night, 
and  talked  so  kindly  that  quiet  tears  began  to  steal  down 
the  poor  wounded  boy's  face, — for  he  is  only  seventeen. 
Phoebe  began  to  weep  too;  the  guard  looked  on  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  said,  'Well,  in  the  other  world  there  will 
be  surely  somebody  made  to  suffer  for  all  this !'  I  take 
time  to  note  this.    It  is  an  incident  worth  preserving. 

"There  was  still  Jackson's  sword.  With  great 
trouble  we  carried  it  under  our  clothes — that  sword  that 
had  flashed  victoriously  over  many  a  battlefield, — and 
finally  concealed  it  in  an  outhouse.     .     .     . 

"The  experience  of  our  neighbors  has  been  in  some 
instances  worse,  in  some  better,  than  ours;  but  all  have 
suffered.  Some  idea  of  our  absorption  of  thought  may 
be  imagined,  when  I  record  that  since  last  Friday  till 
yesterday,  we  actually  forgot  to  have  any  dinner  gotten ; 
we  forgot  to  eat;  four  days  we  went  from  morning  till 
dark  without  food." 

We  shall  now  let  General  Hunter  describe  his  oc- 
cupation of  Lexington.* 

"Having  rested,  and  reorganized  the  combined  forces 
under  my  conmiand,  I  started  on  the  10th  toward  Lex- 
ington, moving  up  the  Valley  in  four  cohmins  by  roads 
nearly  parallel.  The  infantry  division  under  General 
Crook,  and  the  cavalry  division  under  General  Averell, 

*See  his  Report,  Rebellion  Records,  Series  I,  Vol.  XXXVII,  Part  1,  pp. 
9fi-103. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  SQ5 

moving  on  the  right-hand  road,  were  opposed  by  Mr. 
McCausland,  with  about  2,000  mounted  men  and  a 
battery. 

"He  was  easily  driven,  however,  and,  on  the  11th, 
took  refuge  in  the  town  of  Lexington,  behind  the  North 
River,  a  tributary  of  the  James.  Generals  Crook  and 
Averell  arriving  about  midday,  on  the  11th,  found  the 
bridge  across  the  stream  burnt,  and  the  crossing  dis- 
puted by  sharpshooters  and  artillery.  The  infantry 
division  under  General  Sullivan,  which  moved  on  the 
road  to  the  left,  and  which  I  accompanied  in  person, 
had  met  with  no  enemy  thus  far,  but,  at  the  sound  of 
Crook's  guns,  moved  rapidly  forward,  and  took  position 
in  front  of  the  town.  I  found  the  enemy's  sharpshooters 
posted  among  the  rocks  and  thickets  of  the  opposite 
cliffs,  and  in  some  storehouses  at  the  bridge,  and  also 
occupying  the  buildings  of  the  Virginia  Military  Insti- 
tute, which  stood  near  the  river.  Their  artillery  was 
screened  behind  the  buildings  of  the  town,  and  on  some 
heights  just  beyond  it  the  whole  position  was  completely 
commanded  by  my  artillery  (thirty  guns).  This  un- 
soldierly  and  inhuman  attempt  of  General  McCausland 
to  defend  an  indefensible  position  against  an  over- 
whelming force,  by  screening  himself  behind  the  private 
dwellings  of  women  and  children,  might  have  brought 
justifiable  destruction  upon  the  whole  town,  but  as  this 
was  not  rendered  imperative  by  any  military  necessity, 
I  preferred  to  spare  private  property,  and  an  unarmed 
population.  Instead  of  crushing  the  place  with  my 
artillery,  I  sent  General  Averell  with  a  brigade  of 
cavalry  to  cross  the  river  some  distance  away,  and  fall 
upon  the  enemy's  flank  and  rear.  Before  this  move- 
ment was  completed,  the  enemy  proceeded  and  hastily 
retired  on  the  road  toward  Buchanan.  The  Battalion 
of  Cadets,  about  250  muskets,  took  part  in  the  defense 
and  retired  by  the  Balcony  Falls  road  towards  Lynch- 
burg. I  was  told  that  Colonel  Smith,  Principal  of  the 
Institute,  and  commanding  the  cadets,  protested 
against  the  attempted  defense  as  entirely  futile,  pur- 


366  The  Military  History  or 

poseless  and  unnecessarily  exposing  the  town  and  its 
helpless  inhabitants  to  danger  and  destruction.  In  oc- 
cupying this  place,  a  few  prisoners  were  taken;  five 
pieces  of  cannon,  with  numerous  caissons  and  gun  car- 
riages, some  small  arms,  and  a  quantity  of  ammunition 
fell  into  our  hands  and  were  destroyed ;  six  barges  laden 
with  commissary  stores,  artillery  ammunition,  and  six 
pieces  of  cannon  were  captured  on  the  James  River 
Canal  near  the  town.  A  number  of  extensive  iron  works 
in  the  vicinity  were  burned. 

"On  the  12th,  I  also  burned  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute,  and  all  the  buildings  connected  with  it.  I 
found  here  a  violent  and  inflammatory  proclamation 
from  John  Letcher,  lately  Governor  of  Virginia,  incit- 
ing the  population  of  the  country  to  rise  and  wage 
guerilla  warfare  on  my  troops,  and  ascertaining  that 
after  having  advised  his  fellow-citizens  to  this  course, 
the  Ex-Governor  himself  had  ignominiously  taken  flight. 
I  ordered  his  property  to  be  burned,  under  my  order 
published  May  24th,  against  persons  practising,  or  abet- 
ting, such  uncivilized  warfare.  Having  had  information 
that  a  train  of  200  wagons,  loaded  with  supplies  and 
guarded  by  two  regiments  of  infantry,  was  en  route 
following  our  march,  I  delayed  one  day  in  Lexington 
to  allow  it  time  to  overtake  us.  I  had  also  begun  to 
feel  anxious  in  regard  to  Duifie  from  whom  I  had  not 
definitely  heard  for  two  days." 

Such  is  the  official  lie  of  the  vandal  Hunter.  The 
proclamation  of  John  Letcher,  to  which  he  referred, 
was  a  natural  appeal  to  the  patriotism  of  the  people  to 
aid  in  the  defense  of  the  Upper  Valley,  one  which  any 
man  in  his  position  would  have  made,  under  similar 
circimistances.  One  who  knows  the  character  of 
"Honest  John"  at  once  discards  the  mere  suggestion  of 
guerilla  warfare  on  his  part,  as  a  palpable  impossibility. 
Yet,  his  property,  which  incidentally  included  his  house 
and  home,  was  ruthlessly  given  over  to  the  flames.  The 
patriotism  of  the  Ex-Governor  did  not  change  the 
private  character  of  that  property. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  387 

Lincoln  had  specifically  prohibited  the  destruction  of 
private  property.  In  total  disregard  of  that  injunction, 
Hunter  did  not  confine  himself  to  the  demolition  of  the 
Institute,  as  a  military  post,  but  caused  the  private 
possessions  of  the  defenseless  professors  to  be  burned. 
Lincoln's  inhibition  also  included  Educational  Insti- 
tutions; but  Hunter,  unable  to  perceive  the  value  such 
things  would  have  in  settling  the  conquered  country, 
ordered  the  educational  equipment  of  the  Institute  to 
be  given  to  the  flames,  along  with  the  buildings.  This 
equipment  embraced  a  priceless  mineralogical  collection 
donated  to  the  school  by  General  Cocke,  a  large  and 
valuable  library,  including  the  irreplaceable  collection 
of  scientific  works,  which  had  been  purchased  from 
Colonel  Claude  Crozet,  and  the  complete  scientific  ap- 
paratus and  laboratories  of  the  Engineering,  Chemistrj^ 
and  Agricultural  departments,  and  an  exceptionally 
valuable  telescope. 

Among  the  brave  officers  whom  chance  had  con- 
signed to  the  command  of  so  unworthy  a  leader  was 
Captain  Henry  A.  du  Pont,  of  Delaware.  In  order 
to  show  what  were  the  sentiments  of  the  officers  of 
Hunter's  Army,  it  is  here  noted  that  in  1913  Senator 
Henry  A.  du  Pont  introduced  a  bill  in  the  United 
States  Senate  providing  for  the  reimbursement  of  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute,  in  the  sum  of  $214,000,  for 
the  unlawful  and  unjustifiable  destruction  of  its 
educational  plant  by  General  Hunter,  June  12,  1864. 
It  should  be  added  that  the  burning  of  the  Barracks 
and  of  the  strictly  military  part  of  the  institution  has 
never  been  claimed  to  be  improper  or  unjustifiable  as 
a  war  measure.* 

The  information  contained  in  the  following  deposition 
which  was  taken  as  evidence  by  the  Senate  Claims  Com- 
mittee is  very  interesting  at  this  point,  though  it  omits 
an  important  fact : 

♦To  the  writer's  knowledge,  Major  McKinley  in  later  years  often  expressed 
regret  for  the  destruction  of  the  Institute.  Senate  Bill  544,  Sixty-Third  Con- 
gress, Second  Session,  and  the  evidence  of  Senator  du  Pont  and  Major-General 
Leonard  Wood,  Chief-of-StaflP.  U.  S.  Army,  given  at  the  Hearing  before  the 
Committee   on   Claims,    is   included   in   full   in   the   appendix. 


368  The  Military  History  or 

State  of  Pennsylvania 


ss. 
County  of  Alleghany 

On  this  10th  day  of  March,  A.  D.,  1914i,  personally  appeared 
before  me  the  subscriber,  a  Notary  Public,  J.  M.  Schoonmaker,  of 
Pittsburg,  Pa.,  who  being  duly  sworn  according  to  law,  doth  depose 
and  say: 

I  was  Colonel  of  the  14th  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  in  command 
of  the  First  Brigade  of  Averill's  Cavalry  Division,  and  led  the 
advance  of  General  Hunter's  army  when  he  moved  south  from 
Staunton  on  June  11,  1864,  on  what  is  known  as  Hunter's  raid  on 
Lynchburg.  On  arriving  at  the  outskirts  of  Lexington  there  was 
some  firing  from  skirmishers,  which  halted  us  until  General  Hunter 
came  to  the  front,  and  ordered  the  shelling  of  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute,  but  with  no  response  following  same,  and  my  recollection 
is  that  I  was  the  first  one  to  enter  the  Institute  building,  finding  the 
cadets'  school  books  open  on  their  desks  and  diagrams  partly 
finished  on  blackboard,  and  no  trace  of  the  building  having  been 
occupied  by  Confederate  forces,  placed  it  and  the  Washington 
College  buildings  under  guard.  Some  time  after  General  Hunter 
advanced  his  main  army  into  Lexington  and  sent  for  me,  taking  me 
severely  to  task  for  not  having  burned  the  Institute,  which  he  did 
the  following  day,  and  it  was  my  understanding  at  the  time  that 
General  Hunter  also  intended  burning  the  Washington  College 
buildings.  I  have  no  hesitation  in  stating  that  I  considered  at  the 
time  the  burning  of  the  Institute  for  military  reasons  unnecessary 
and  unwarranted. 

And  furtlier  the  deponent  sayeth  not. 

J.  M.  Schoonmaker. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  before  me  the  day  and  year  first  above 
written. 

Wm.  F.  Brunner, 

Notary  Public. 
My  commission  expires  January  19,  1915. 

The  omission  referred  to  is  that  Colonel  Schoon- 
maker, according  to  his  own  statement  at  the  Institute, 
where  he  delivered  an  address  on  the  occasion  of  the 
Seventy-Fifth  Anniversary  Celebration,  June  24,  1914, 
was  not  only  taken  to  task  by  Hunter  for  not  destroying 
the  Institute  immediately  upon  entering  Lexington, 
but  was  relieved  of  command  pending  the  investigation 
of  what  his  senior  deemed  a  neglect  and  while  other 
hands  unwillingly  applied  the  torch.     The   fact  that 


The  Vikginia  Military  Institute  369 

Hunter  thus  sought  to  discipline  Schoonmaker  gave 
currency  and  credence  to  the  report  that  a  number  of 
officers  were  placed  in  arrest  for  refusing  to  execute 
Hunter's  orders  to  burn  the  Institute.  His  action  with 
respect  to  Schoonmaker,  his  advance  guard  commander, 
was,  undoubtedly  designed  to  make  him  more  wanton 
and  reckless  of  the  property  rights  of  the  enemy  and  the 
hostile  inhabitants  along  the  route.  Hunter  simply  de- 
sired all  his  subordinates  to  take  their  cue  from  him 
and  act  in  certain  matters  without  explicit  orders,  for 
orders,  especially  when  written,  have  an  unpleasant 
way  of  springing  up  when  least  expected. 

Hunter  did  not  cause  the  five  pieces  of  the  Cadet 
Battery  which  his  men  found  at  the  Institute  to  be 
destroyed,  as  stated  in  his  report.  These  pieces,  to- 
gether with  the  six  old  French  guns,  and  the  two  bronze 
guns  of  the  Letcher  Battery,  which  had  been  mounted 
in  front  of  the  Barracks,  and  Hubard's  bronze  replica 
of  Houdon's  Washington  Statue,  were  seized  bj^  him, 
and  sent  with  other  captured  property  to  Wheeling, 
West  Virginia,  where  they  were  received  as  trophies  of 
war  by  Governor  Pierpoint,  the  Federal  appointee,  with 
great  glee.  Thus,  did  Hunter  seek  to  impress  his 
political  friends  at  home  with  the  grandeur  of  his  mili- 
tary exploits!* 

In  his  annual  report  to  the  Board  of  Visitors, 
rendered  at  its  meeting  in  Richmond,  July  15,  1864, 
the  Superintendent  recounted  Hunter's  proceedings  in 
detail,  as  follows: 

"Every  species  of  public  property  was  removed,  or 
wantonly  destroyed;  and  among  the  most  serious  losses 
are  to  be  named  our  valuable  library, — the  accumulated 
care  of  twenty-five  years, — and  the  philosophical  ap- 
paratus, so  long  used  by  our  late  distinguished  professor 

*In  1865,  at  the  instance  of  the  Superintendent,  and  Gen.  T.  T.  Munford, 
V.  M.  I.,  '52,  the  Cadet  Battery,  superbly  re-mounted  and  re-equipped,  the 
Washington  Statue,  the  two  24-pounder  and  the  two  6-pounder  French  guns,  and 
the  two  Letcher  Battery  guns,  were  gracefully  returned  to  the  Institute,  by  order 
of  the  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Stanton.  La  Lazarde  and  L'Aurore,  the  two 
9-pounder  French  guns,  could  not  be  found  for  a  long  time,  but  were  finally 
located  at  Fortress  Monroe,  and  returned  by  (lenoral  William  F.  Barry,  the  post 
commander,   under   the   propei-   authority. 


24 


370  The  Miijtary  History  of 

of  Xntural  and  Experimental  Philosophy,  Lieiitenant- 
General  Thomas  J.  Jackson.  The  apparatus  and  many 
of  the  valuable  books  had  been  removed  to  Washington 
College,  under  the  presumption  that  this  venerable  insti- 
tution might  afford  a  shelter  and  protection  to  them. 
But  the  work  of  destruction  went  on.  The  College 
})uilding  was  sacked;  the  hbraries  of  both  institutions 
were  destroyed,  and  every  particle  of  philosophical  ap- 
paratus broken  to  pieces.  Shavings  had  been  prepared 
to  fire  the  College  buildings  also,  and  the  design  was 
only  prevented  by  the  representations  of  the  Trustees, 
setting  forth  the  purely  civil  organization  of  the  Col- 
lege, and  that  it  was  the  recipient  of  the  bounty  of 
Washington  himself. 

"Our  hospital  was  first  rifled  of  all  its  most  valuable 
medical  stores,  and  was  then  burnt,  although  one 
severely  wounded  cadet  and  one  sick  cadet,  dependent 
upon  both  for  comfort  and  almost  for  life,  had  to  be 
removed  from  the  building  at  great  risk,  in  the  midst 
of  the  shelling  and  the  rifle  balls  of  the  sharpshooters. 

"The  families  of  Colonels  Williamson  and  Gilham 
were  required  by  rude  officials  to  vacate  their  quarters; 
and,  although  they  were  allowed  the  privilege  of  re- 
moving their  furniture,  in  part,  through  the  kind  inter- 
position of  the  Hon,  S.  McD.  Moore,  few  facilities  were 
afforded  them  to  do  so ;  and  the  torch  was  applied,  while 
helpless  females  were  endeavoring  to  save  their  little 
stores,  and  their  quarters,  and  many  of  their  personal 
effects  were  destroyed. 

"Every  public  document  connected  with  the  operation 
of  the  Institute,  found  in  my  office  (and  there  were 
many  copies  of  the  various  annual  reports  and 
registers),  were  destroyed  or  removed.  My  private 
library  was  rifled  of  many  of  its  most  valuable  and 
portable  volumes,  and  the  portraits  of  Ex- Governors 
JNIcDowell,  Wise,  and  Letcher,  which  occupied  promi- 
nent positions  in  it,  were  removed. 

"The  houses  of  our  poorest  operatives,  including 
seamstresses,  laundresses,  and  laborers,  were  searched, 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  371 

in  common  with  those  of  the  citizens  generally,  and  some 
of  those  persons  were  left  in  destitute,  and  almost 
starving,  condition.  The  kindness  of  friends  in  Lex- 
ington had  opened  their  homes  to  receive  the  trmiks  and 
effects  of  cadets.  Such  houses  were  made  the  peculiar 
objects  of  vindictive  spoliation. 

"Our  shoe  shop  was  despoiled  of  all  its  leather,  and 
unfinished  work;  and  the  shoe  lasts,  implements  and 
benches  were  there  wantonly  destroyed. 

"The  bell  attached  to  our  public  clock  was  taken  down 
and  removed,  and  the  beautiful  bronze  copy  of 
Houdon's  Washington,  by  the  gifted  and  lamented 
Hubard,  after  being  mutilated  in  the  effort  to  take  it 
from  its  pedestal,  was  removed.* 

"All  the  regular  negro  servants  of  the  institution 
showed  a  marked  fidelity.  Our  trusty  baker,  Anderson, 
the  property  of  the  Institute,  was  stripped  of  every- 
thing, and  on  being  asked  whether  he  had  made  him- 
self known  as  belonging  to  the  State,  promptly  replied, 
'No,  indeed, — if  I  had  told  the  Yankees  that,  they 
would  have  burnt  me  up,  with  the  other  State 
property.'  " 

In  discussing  the  lack  of  justification  for  Hunter's 
acts,  the  presentation  of  the  Superintendent  can  hardly 
be  improved  upon.    He  wrote: 

"It  was  to  have  been  expected  that  the  cadets  should 
be  pursued,  that  they  might  be  either  killed  or  captured. 
They  asked  no  immunities  from  the  rigors  of  war  meted 
to  others.  The  arms  and  munitions  of  war  were  proper 
subjects  for  capture  or  destruction.  Its  public  build- 
ings might  have  been  held  by  the  enemy  as  a  barracks 
or  hospital,  and  the  school  itself  dispersed.  But  modern 
history  is  appealed  to  in  vain  for  a  like  instance  of 
desolation,  as  marked  the  track  of  the  invader  here. 
The  cities  of  Europe  have  often  been  held  by  hostile 
armies,   and  have   often   been   given   up   to   sack  and 

*William  J.  Hubard,  the  sculptor-artist  was  blown  up  in  February,  1862, 
while  experimenting  with  a  highly  explosive  compound  of  his  own  invention, 
in  his  foundry  in  Richmond,  which  he  had  turned  over  to  the  service  of  the 
Confederate   Bureau   of  Ordnance. 


372  The  Militaky  History  of 

pillage;  but  institutions  of  learning,  whether  military 
or  not,  have  been  usually  protected  from  the  devasta- 
tion attendant  upon  the  entrance  of  armies  into  forti- 
fied towns.  Even  in  civil  war,  Oxford  and  Cambridge 
were  alternately  held  by  the  contending  armies;  but 
their  halls  and  their  courts,  their  libraries  and  their 
archives,  were  preserved  and  still  remain,  to  show  how 
civilization  may  ameliorate  the  rigors  of  war.  True, 
the  School  of  Engineers  at  Mezieres,  in  which  the  cele- 
brated Monge  taught,  and  that  of  Artillery  at  La  Fere, 
in  common  with  all  the  Schools  of  France,  from  the  Uni- 
versity down,  were  destroyed  by  the  madness  of  the  un- 
restrained Republican  mobs.  Lavoisier  was  murdered, 
as  the  republic  had  no  need  of  chemists.  But  these  law- 
less acts  were  not  excused,  or  justified,  by  the  leaders  of 
the  French  Revolution  themselves.  On  the  contrary, 
they  were  made  the  argument  by  which  Monge  and 
Fourcay  established  the  Polytechnic  School,  and  begged, 
for  the  purpose,  the  use  of  the  old  Palais  Bourbon  for 
the  inauguration  of  their  truly  revolutionary  School. 
But  General  Hunter  commanded  an  organized  army 
of  the  United  States,  whose  professed  mission  was  the 
'restoration  of  the  Union' ;  and,  yet,  it  was  by  his  order, 
and  against  the  remonstrances  of  some  of  his  own  gen- 
eral officers,  that  the  public  buildings  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute  were  committed  to  the  flames;  and  the 
threat  was  made  by  him  that  the  University  of  Virginia 
should  soon  share  a  like  fate.  He  is  not  only  responsible 
for  an  act  deliberately  executed,  ])ut  for  the  effort 
clearly  manifested  to  consign  to  utter  destruction  every 
record  that  could  mark  the  character  of  history  or  be- 
ing, of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute." 

After  the  destruction  of  the  Institute,  Hunter  sent 
Averell  on  to  Buchanan  on  the  13th,  with  orders  to 
drive  McCausland  out  of  the  way,  and  secure  the  bridge 
over  the  James  River  at  that  place.  On  the  14th,  hear- 
ing that  Breckinridge  had  reached  Rockfish  Gap,  and 
that  Early  was  moving  to  the  Valley,  he  left  Lexington 
with  his  whole  force  for  Buchanan.     On  the  15th,  he 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  373 

marched  over  the  Bkie  Ridge  by  the  Peaks  of  Otter 
road  toward  Lynchburg. 

From  June  3d  to  6th  the  desperate  battle  of  Cold 
Harbor  was  fought.  Late  on  the  12th,  Early,  then  m 
command  of  the  2d,  or  Ewell's  Corps,  received  orders 
to  proceed  with  it  to  the  Valley  to  oppose  Hunter's 
progress.  When  he  left  his  position  near  Gaines's  Mill, 
about  2  A.  M.  the  13th,  Grant  had  already  put  his  army 
in  motion  to  cross  the  James  River  below  Richmond. 
With  the  8,000  men  of  his  Corps,  and  Nelson's  and 
Braxton's  Battalions  of  Artillery,  Early  reached 
Charlottesville,  a  distance  of  over  90  miles,  on  the  16th. 
Upon  reaching  Charlottesville,  he  learned  by  a  dispatch 
from  Breckinridge,  who  with  his  division  had  made  a 
forced  march  from  Rockfish  Gap  to  Lynchburg,  that 
Hunter  was  marching  on  that  point.  At  sunrise  on  the 
17th,  about  half  of  Early's  command  started  by  train 
on  cars  collected  during  the  night,  for  Lynchburg,  60 
miles  distant.  Rodes's,  and  a  part  of  Gordon's  di- 
visions, and  the  artillery,  started  by  road.  When  Ram- 
seur's  division  and  one  of  Gordon's  brigades  reached 
the  city  late  the  afternoon  of  the  17th,  Hunter  was 
rapidly  approaching,  opposed  only  by  Imboden  with  a 
mere  handful  of  cavalry.  Breckinridge  had  been  un- 
able, b}^  reason  of  injuries  received  at  Cold  Harbor,  to 
exercise  active  command  since  his  arrival,  but  under 
the  direction  of  Generals  D.  H.  Hill  and  Havs  (who 
happened  to  be  in  the  city),  a  line  of  hasty  intrench- 
ments  had  been  thrown  up  on  College  Hill,  covering  the 
turnpike  and  Forest  roads  from  Liberty.  This  line 
had  been  occupied  by  the  infantry  of  Breckinridge's 
division  as  it  arrived,  and  the  dismounted  cavalry  of 
Jones's  command,  which  had  been  defeated  at  Pied- 
mont, on  the  .5th,  while  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  the  Re- 
serves, and  a  number  of  military  casuals  from  the 
hospitals  and  shops,  were  placed  in  small  works  in  other 
quarters. 

Early  decided  that  the  defensive  lines  which  had  been 
hastily  established  were  too  close,  and,  that  resistance 


374  The  Military  History  of 

offered  in  them  would  only  bring  about  the  destruction 
of  the  city.  But  he  had  little  time  to  construct  others. 
Finding  Imboden  in  a  work  on  Diamond  Hill,  about 
five  miles  west  of  the  city,  strongly  intrenched  and  op- 
posing Averell,  he  decided  to  move  his  troops,  which 
were  fast  arriving,  out  to  Imboden 's  position  near  the 
Quaker  Church.  Averell,  however,  attacked  about  4 
p.  M.^  and  drove  Imboden  from  his  works. 

Early  now  established  a  line  across  the  road  over 
which  Averell  was  advancing,  about  two  miles  west  of 
the  city,  where  a  redoubt  had  been  constructed,  and 
ordered  up  the  two  brigades  of  Ramseur's  division,  and 
the  one  of  Gordon's  which  had  reached  Lynchburg. 
These  troops  arrested  the  progress  of  the  Federals,  who 
contented  themselves  the  rest  of  the  day  with  a  can- 
nonade. 

Hunter's  advance  troops  camped  on  the  battlefield 
that  night,  having  captured  a  gun,  and  70  of  Imboden' s 
men. 

The  Federal  commander  now  learned  of  the  presence 
of  Breckinridge's  division,  and  inferred  from  the  con- 
stant running  of  trains,  and  the  cheering  of  troops,  dur- 
ing the  night,  that  reinforcements  were  arriving.  The 
next  morning  he  learned  that  Early's  division  had  ar- 
rived, and  erroneously  estimated  the  numbers  of  tlie 
force  opposed  to  him  at  between  10,000  and  15,000 
men. 

On  the  morning  of  the  18th,  Early  placed  Breckin- 
ridge's division  in  the  front  line  of  works,  consisting  of 
a  redoubt  on  each  road,  with  connecting  rifle  pits,  along 
which  there  was  much  artillery  firing  and  skirmishing. 
In  the  afternoon,  and  before  Rodes's  division  had  ar- 
rived, DufRe's  brigade  on  the  extreme  Federal  left  at- 
tacked just  to  the  right  of  the  Forestville  road,  while 
Averell  sent  a  small  force  of  cavalry  to  demonstrate 
against  the  Campbell  Courthouse  road,  on  the  extreme 
right.  The  attack  was  repulsed  about  2  p.  m.  Although 
Hunter  says  himself  that  he  ordered  this  attack,  he 
describes  the  affair  as  a  "bloody  repulse"  for  Breckin- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  375 

ridge  who,  he  says,  was  discouraged  from  further  activi- 
ties that  day. 

As  soon  as  the  remainder  of  his  infantry  arrived, 
Early  completed  his  arrangements  for  attacking 
Hunter,  at  daybreak  on  the  19th. 

Up  to  this  time,  the  cadets,  in  a  drizzling  rain,  had 
remained  in  position  in  a  graveyard,  near  the  present 
residence  of  Mr.  John  Langhorne,  in  the  secondary  line 
close  behind  the  point  of  Duffie's  attack,  a  renewal  of 
which  the  following  morning,  was  confidently  ex- 
pected. About  10  o'clock  that  night,  orders  came  for 
the  Corps  to  move  to  the  front,  to  relieve  the  troops  in 
the  salient  in  their  front,  who  had  been  under  fire  since 
midday. 

"When  the  Corps  was  formed  in  line.  Colonel  Shipp, 
in  low  tones,  explained  the  nature  of  the  service,  and 
the  importance  of  silence.  We  were  warned  not  to 
speak,  and,  as  the  night  was  very  black,  each  man  was 
instructed  to  place  his  left  hand  upon  the  cartridge  box 
of  the  man  in  front  of  him,  so  as  to  keep  distance  and 
alignment.  Thus  formed,  we  proceeded  to  the  bastion, 
and  entered  it  in  gloomy  silence.  The  troops  occupying 
it  were  drawn  up  as  we  entered,  and  glided  out  after 
we  were  in,  like  shadows  out  of  darkness. 

"The  place  was  horrible.  The  fort  was  new,  and 
constructed  of  stiff  red  clay.  The  rain  had  wet  the 
soil,  and  the  feet  of  the  men  who  had  been  there  had 
kneaded  the  mud  into  dough.  There  was  no  place  to 
lie  down.  All  that  a  man  could  do  was  to  sit  plump 
down  in  the  mud,  upon  the  low  banquette,  with  his 
gun  across  his  lap.  I  could  not  resist  peeping  over  the 
parapet,  and  there,  but  a  short  distance  from  us,  in  a 
little  valley,  were  the  smouldering  camp-fires  of  the 
enemy.  Wrapping  my  blanket  about  me,  its  ends 
tucked  under  me,  so  as  to  keep  out  the  moisture  from 
the  red  clay  as  much  as  possible,  I  fell  asleep,  hugging 
my  rifle,  never  doubting  that  there  would  be  work  for 
both  of  us  at  daybreak. 

"I  must  have  slept  soundly,  for  when  I  awoke  it  was 
broad  daylight.    The  men  were  beginning  to  talk  aloud, 


376  The  Military  History  of 

and  several  were  exposing  themselves  freely.  No 
enemy  aj^peared  in  our  front.    He  was  gone."* 

The  writer  has  been  told  by  a  number  of  those  in  the 
Corps  at  this  time  that  the  night  they  spent  in  that 
dark  bastion,  almost  in  speaking  distance  of  the  enemy, 
was  by  long  odds  the  most  trying  ordeal  they  experi- 
enced during  the  war— certainly  while  cadets. 

Believing  that  a  force  of  20,000  Confederates  was 
confronting  him,  Hunter,  ere  night  fell,  determined  to 
retire.  Leaving  a  line  of  pickets  in  contact  with  the 
enemy  until  midnight,  to  screen  his  movements,  he 
commenced  his  withdrawal  as  soon  as  it  was  dark,  and 
did  not  halt  until  his  main  body  reached  a  point  18 
miles  west  of  Lynchburg. 

Although  the  withdrawal  of  the  Federals  was  dis- 
covered by  Early  shortly  after  midnight,  he  was  unable 
to  fathom  the  meaning  of  the  movement,  but  at  day- 
break took  up  the  pursuit,  and  overtook  Hunter's 
rear-guard  at  Liberty  {Bedford  City),  just  before 
night. 

From  Liberty,  Hunter  retreated  across  the  Blue 
Ridge  through  Buford's  Gap  which  he  entered  on  the 
morning  of  the  20th,  and  then  proceeded  b}^  Bonsack's 
Station  to  Salem,  where  he  arrived  next  day. 

Ramseur  had  followed  closely  upon  the  heels  of 
Hunter's  flying  army  and,  attacking  his  rear-guard  at 
Salem,  secured  8  pieces  of  artillery  abandoned  by  the 
enemy.  From  Salem,  Hunter's  route  lay  through 
Catawba  Valley,  New  Castle,  Greenbrier  White 
Sulphur  Springs,  Lewisburg,  Meadow  Bluff,  and 
Gauley,  to  Charleston.  The  haste  with  which  he  moved 
is  shown  by  the  fact  that  he  reached  New  Castle  on  the 
22d,  Lewisburg  on  the  25th,  and  Gauley  on  the  27th, 
arriving  at  Charleston  on  the  30th.  McCausland  had 
hung  upon,  and  harassed,  his  rear  to  the  limit  of  the 
endurance  of  his  men  and  horses;  but  the  pursuers  were 
simply  outmarched.** 

♦End  of  an  Era,  J.  S.  Wise. 
.,     **V,R'?°  arriving  at  the  White  Sulphur  Springs,  Hunter  gave  orders  to  destroy 
the  buildings,  but  Captam  du  Pont,  knowing  that  a  protest  would  be  of  no  avail, 
resorted  to  the  clever  scheme  of  suggesting  that  the  place  be  saved  as  a  possible 
Cavalry  post.     This  suggestion  alone  saved  it. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  377 

Thus  ended  the  expedition  which,  by  combining  the 
colmnns  of  Hunter  and  Sheridan  at  Lynchburg,  was 
expected  to  destroy  Lee's  communications,  and  enable 
the  two  forces  to  join  Grant.  Hampton,  by  defeating 
Sheridan  at  Trevilian's,  on  the  11th  and  12th  of  June, 
prevented  the  junction  of  the  two  forces  at  Lynchburg, 
and  Early,  though  greatly  outnumbered  by  Hunter, 
sent  him  flying  back  to  the  Kanawha,  almost  without 
a  fight.  Like  all  vandals.  Hunter  was  better  at  destroy- 
ing defenseless  homes  than  assaulting  breastworks. 

The  cadets  took  no  part  in  the  pursuit  of  Hunter, 
and  leaving  Lynchburg  on  the  24th,  arrived  in  Lex- 
ington by  canal  boats  on  the  25th. 

The  Institute  was  a  charred  ruin,  so  that  the  Corps 
was  temporarily  quartered  in  the  buildings  of  Wash- 
ington College,  which  were  kindly  loaned  for  the 
purpose. 

The  cadets  found  the  ruins  of  the  Institute  so  de- 
pressing that  after  their  first  inspection,  they  carefully 
avoided  the  place.  Not  satisfied  with  the  complete 
desolation  of  Virginia's  School  of  Arms,  certain  men  of 
Hunter's  command  from  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  New 
York,  and  Massachusetts,  wrote  obscene  and  insulting 
messages  over  their  names  upon  the  walls  of  the  de- 
molished buildings,  conduct  inspired  by  their  bitter  rec- 
ollection of  the  cadets  at  New  Market,  less  than  one 
month  before.  Nor  was  this  spirit  confined  to  the  en- 
listed men  of  Hunter's  Army,  for  the  coarsely-defaced 
and  mutilated  record  book  of  the  Dialectic  Literary 
Societ}'-  was  found  with  the  following  note,  among 
others,  written  in  pencil,  after  the  entry  of  the  pro- 
ceedings of  May  7,  1864: 

"Headquarters,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  W.  Va., 

"Lexington,  June  12^  1864. 

"The  next  meeting  of  the  Di  was  probably  interfered  with  by 
the  threatening  advance  of  the  Yankees  under  Sigel,  who  marched 
up  the  Valley  of  Virginia  against  them.  The  cadets  and  other 
Southern  forces  defeated  Sigel  at  New  Market,  but  three  weeks 
afterwards,   in    a   battle    at    Piedmont,    near    Wever's    Cave,    Gen. 


378  The  Military  History  of 

Hunter,  Sigel's  successor,  utterly  routed  their  force,  and  took 
1,000  prisoners.  At  this  moment,  the  Virginia  Military  Institute 
is  a  mass  of  flames. 

"John  R.  Meigs, 
"1st  Lt.  Corps  of  Eng'rs,  U.  S.  A.,  and  Chief  Eng., 

"Dept.  of  W.  Va." 

Jolui  Rodgers  Meigs,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  was 
a  graduate  of  West  Point,  in  the  Class  of  1863.  It  is 
stated  in  official  records  that  he  was  killed  by  partisans 
October  3,  1864,  near  Harrisonburg,  Virginia.  It  is 
difficult  to  believe  that  he  could  have  merited  the  brevet 
he  received  for  gallant  and  meritorious  service  at  the 
battle  of  Fisher's  Hill,  in  September,  and  we  can  not 
refrain  from  comparing  him  in  our  minds  with  the 
noble,  chivalrous  Colonel  "Sandy"  Pendleton,  of  Lex- 
ington, who  forfeited  his  life  in  that  same  battle. 
Magnanimity  is  a  virtue  which  we  expect  of  soldiers, 
more  especially  of  officers.  We  should  have  thought 
his  admiration  for  the  institution  where  Jackson  had 
served,  and  his  personal  observation  at  New  Market 
of  the  heroism  of  the  cadets,  would  have  touched  the 
sympathy,  rather  than  aroused  the  bitter  passions,  of 
an  officer  of  Meigs's  training. 

Now  as  a  matter  of  fact,  Meigs  was  not  killed  by 
partisans.  The  following  account  of  his  death  will 
throw  more  light  on  his  character.  It  is  taken  from  the 
Confederate  Veteran  of  Marcli,  1914,  and  is  written 
by  J.  K.  Taliaferro  of  Remington,  Virginia. 

"Having  noticed  in  the  December  number  of  the  Veteran  a  copy 
of  a  report  from  General  Sheridan  from  Woodstock,  October  7, 
1864,  in  which  he  states  that  Lieut.  John  R.  Meigs,  his  engineer 
officer,  was  murdered  near  Dayton,  in  consequence  of  which  he  had 
all  houses  within  an  area  of  five  miles  burned,  I  consider  it  due  our 
cause  that  the  readers  of  the  Veteran  and  public  should  be  informed 
as  to  how  Lieutenant  Meigs  came  to  his  death.  He  was  shot  and 
killed  by  Private  George  W.  Martin,  a  true  and  brave  soldier  of 
Company  H,  1th  Virginia  Cavalry  (Black  Horse  Company,  of  this 
county),  in  a  hand-to-hand  fight  after  Martin  was  shot  by  Meigs 
through  his  right  lung  and  was  supposed  to  be  mortally  wounded. 

"The  circumstances,  as  stated  by  F.  M.  Campbell,  a  member 
of  the  same  company,  who  was  frequentlj^  sent  out  from  brigade 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  379 

lieadquarters  to  ascertain  and  report  the  location  and  movements 
of  the  enemy,  were  as  follows : 

"Campbell  selected  young  Martin  and  a  member  of  the  1st 
Virginia  Regiment  of  Cavalry  to  accompany  him  on  this  occasion. 
It  was  a  misty,  raw  morning,  and  they  all  had  on  their  overcoats 
and  were  either  inside  or  very  near  the  enemy's  lines.  They 
observed  three  cavalrymen  approaching,  and  as  they  met  each 
selected  his  man  to  fight  or  capture.  Martin  faced  Meigs,  as  the 
other  two  did  his  attendants,  and  demanded  a  surrender.  All  threw 
up  their  hands ;  and  when  Meigs  was  supposed  to  be  taking  off  his 
arms  he  shot  Martin  from  under  his  cape.  While  falling  from  his 
horse  Martin  returned  the  fire  and  instantly  killed  him.  Martin 
was  desperately  wounded  and  suffered  from  the  effects  of  the 
wound  to  the  day  of  his  death,  which  occurred  about  ten  years  ago. 

"Shortly  after  the  surrender  General  Meigs,  the  father  of  the 
Lieutenant,  no  doubt  influenced  by  General  Sheridan's  statement, 
offered  a  reward  of  $1,000  for  the  delivery  to  him  of  young  Martin, 
in  consequence  of  which  Martin  went  to  a  secluded  section  of 
Missouri  and  remained  there  until  the  war  excitement  had  subsided 
and  General  Meigs  had  been  satisfied  by  statements  of  those  who 
knew  the  circumstances  that  his  son  lost  his  life  in  a  fair  conflict. 

"I  write  this  in  justice  to  the  memory  of  an  intimate  friend  and 
comrade  whose  courage  and  coolness  never  faltered  in  facing  a  foe, 
but  who  never  sought  to  take  a  life  without  giving  an  opportunity 
for  surrender  or  defense." 

On  the  27th,  the  fourteen  members  of  the  First  Class 
were  graduated,  and  the  Corps  was  furloughed  and 
ordered  to  report  for  duty  in  Lexington,  September  1st. 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"June  27,  186i. 
"General  Orders — No.  20. 

"I.  Under  the  authority  of  the  Board  of  Visitors,  all  cadets 
now  on  duty  with  the  Institute,  who  have  it  in  their  power  to  go 
to  their  homes,  or  to  the  homes  of  their  friends,  are  placed  on 
furlough  until  the  first  of  September,  from  this  date. 

"II.  Those  cadets  who  are  unable  to  go  to  their  homes,  or  to 
the  homes  of  their  friends,  will  be  cared  for  by  the  Institute,  and, 
to  this  end,  they  will  immediately  report  to  the  Commandant  of 
Cadets  that  they  may  be  duly  organized  and  placed  in  camp,  and 
they  will  constitute  under  the  law  the  guard  of  the  public  property. 

"III.  The  Commissary  and  Steward  will  report  to  the  Super- 
intendent for  instructions  relative  to  the  subsistence  of  the  Guard, 
and  of  the  employees  of  the  Institute. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"J.  H.  Morrison. 

"A.  A.,  V.  M.  Inst." 


380  The  Military  History  of 

By  a  subsequent  order  of  the  Board  of  Visitors,  all 
members  of  the  New  Market  Corps  who  did  not  re- 
turn to  the  Institute  were  granted  diplomas,  so  that 
the  number  of  graduates  for  1864  was  259,  of  which 
number  14  were  First  Classmen,  64  Second  Classmen, 
and  181  Third  and  Fourth  Classmen. 

The  Cadet  Officers  for  1864-65  were  announced,  as 
follows : 

Staff — Adjutant,     Woodbridge;      Quartermaster,     Davenport; 
Sergeant-Ma j or,  Henry;    Quartermaster-Sergeant,   Crichton. 
Captains — I.  Ross.     2.  Stuart.     3.  Evans.     4.  Pizzini. 
First  Lts. — 1.  Shaw.    2.  Echols.     3.  Wise,  L.     4.  Nelson. 
Second  Lts. — 1.  Duncan.    2.  Douglas.    3.  Martin,  W.    4.  Patton. 

Orderly  Sergeants — 1.  Hayes,  T.     2.  Royster.     3.  Glazebrook. 

4.  Marshall,  A. 

Sergeants — 1.  Wood,  J.  2.  Ridley,  R.  3.  Barney.  4.  Din- 
widdie.       5.     Barton.       6.    James,    J.       7.    Atwill.*       8.     Lee,    F. 

9.  Tunstall,  J.     10.  Jarratt.     11.  Triplett.     12.  Penn.     13.  Davis,  A. 
14.  Wise,  J.     15.  Ezekiel.     16.  Thomson,  P. 

Corporals — 1.  Cocke,  P.   2.  Cocke,  W.    3.  Smith,  W.    4.  Stacker, 

5.  Dillard.     6.  Smith,  F.     7.  Crawford.     8.   Marks.     9.   Kennedy. 

10.  Taylor,  W.       11.   Taylor,  C.       12.   McCorkle.       13.   Redwood. 
14.  Washington.     15.  Moorman.     16.  Johnson,  P. 

♦Died  later  from  wound   received   at   New  Market. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute         381 


CHAPTER  XXV 

INSTITUTE    REOPENED    IN    RICHMOND ON    THE    LINES 

THE   NEW   ALMSHOUSE IN   THE   TRENCHES   AGAIN 

No  sooner  had  the  cadets  been  furloiighed  on  the 
Washington  College  campus  than  the  Superintendent, 
with  that  indomitable  will  which  characterized  him,  set 
to  work  to  prepare  for  the  reopening  of  the  Institute, 
September  1st. 

"Perish  the  thought,"  wrote  he,  "that  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute  is  destroyed,  or  that  bricks  and 
mortar  constituted  the  great  military  school  of  Vir- 
ginia. That,  thank  God,  still  lives  in  the  heart  and  af- 
fections of  the  South, — and  in  the  vigor  and  manhood 
of  its  noble  sons,  and  in  the  confidence  and  power  of 
the  State  of  Virginia  which  established  it.  It  was  no 
more  in  the  power  of  General  Hunter  to  destroy  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute  than  it  has  been  in  the 
power  of  his  government  to  destroy  that  under  which 
we  live.  Both  remain,  as  providentially  preserved  and 
designed,  to  vindicate  the  cause  of  truth  and  right."* 

These  are  noble  words  and  express  the  same  senti- 
ment contained  in  the  letter  which  General  Robert  E. 
Lee  addressed  to  the  Superintendent,  shortly  after  he 
learned  of  Hunter's  act  of  vandalism. 

"Camp  Petersburg,  July  4,  1864. 

"I  have  grieved  over  the  destruction  of  the  Military  Institute. 
But  the  good  that  has  been  done  to  the  country  can  not  be  destroyed, 
nor  can  its  name  or  fame  perish.  It  will  rise  stronger  than  before, 
and  continue  to  diffuse  its  benefits  to  a  grateful  people.  Under 
your  wise  administration,  there  will  be  no  suspension  of  its  use- 
fulness. The  difficulties  by  which  it  is  surrounded  will  call  forth 
greater  energies  from  its  officers  and  increased  diligence  from  its 
pupils.     Its  prosperity  I  consider  cei'tain. 

"With  great  regard,  yours  very  truly, 

"R.  E.  Lee. 
"Gen.  F.  H.  Smith." 


♦Report   to   Board   of   Visitors,   July    15.    1^64. 


382  The  Military  History  of 

No  wonder,  with  such  an  assurance  of  the  expecta- 
tions of  the  great  Lee  himself,  that  the  Superintendent 
called  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Visitors  for  July  15th, 
at  which  to  consider  the  matter  of  reopening  the 
Institute. 

In  his  report  to  the  Board,  the  Superintendent  wrote: 

"The  necessity  of  making  immediate  provisions  for 
carrying  on  the  institution,  and  of  devising  ways  and 
means  for  accommodating  the  cadets,  ad  interim^  pre- 
sents great  difficulties,  and  the  whole  subject  requires 
mature  consideration.  The  question  is  so  nearly  allied 
to  that  of  the  permanent  reorganization  of  the  School, 
that  the  two  must  necessarily  be  considered  together; 
and  in  this  light  I  have  viewed  them." 

And  again: 

"The  Board  of  Visitors  meets  to-day  to  discharge 
their  high  function  in  giving  vigor  to  the  institution,  and 
speedy  restoration  to  whatever  has  been  destroyed.  I 
have  been  diligently  engaged,  in  obedience  to  its  orders, 
in  preparing  outlines  of  thought  for  their  consideration ; 
and  although  25  years  of  almost  unintermitted  toil  in 
building  up  and  superintending  this  great  School,  have 
exhausted  in  a  great  degree  the  vigor  of  manhood,  I  am 
ready  to  devote  whatever  of  health  or  of  strength  may 
be  left  or  vouchsafed  me  to  the  work  of  restoration, 
until  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  is  placed  in  all 
its  pristine  glory. 

"Should  the  institution  be  rebuilt  on  its  present  loca- 
tion, the  public  interest  would  be  promoted  by  having 
its  temporary  organization  at  some  convenient  point  in 
this  neighborhood.  In  this  event,  the  Rockbridge 
Baths,  the  Rockbridge  Alum  Springs,  and  the  Lexing- 
ton Hotel  have  been  suggested;  and  any  of  these  estab- 
lishments, it  is  presumed,  may  be  rented  as  barracks  for 
the  cadets.  Each  has  some  conveniences,  particularly 
in  tableware  and  furniture,  which  would  greatly 
facilitate  the  operations  of  the  School,  while  each  has 
its  drawbacks  to  balance  against  its  advantages.     As 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  383 

an  alternate  proposition,  it  has  been  suggested,  that 
log  or  plank  huts  be  constructed,  either  on  the  grounds 
of  the  Institute,  or  at  some  other  locality  convenient  to 
wood  and  water.  If  an  established  building  can  not 
be  readily  secured,  the  plan  is  practicable,  and  may  be 
combined  with  tents,  and  give  ample  provision  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  cadets.  Rooms  may  be  rented 
for  lecture  purposes,  and  for  storeroom  and  hospital; 
and  this  plan  may  be  found  the  most  available,  under 
present  circumstances,  if  the  institution  shall  be  located 
here. 

"Should  it  be  determined  to  give  another  location  to 
the  permanent  reorganization  of  the  institution,  the 
Lynchburg  College,  the  Montgomery  White  Sulphur 
Springs,  and  the  Buckingham  Female  Institute,  have 
been  named  as  suitable  places  for  a  temporary  occup- 
ancy, while  the  buildings  of  Randolph-Macon  College 
have  been  kindly  tendered  to  us  by  its  president,  the 
Rev.  W.  A.  Smith,  D.  D.  Expense  of  living  would 
oppose  a  temporary  establishment,  in  time  of  war,  in 
the  vicinity  of  a  large  town;  and  with  this  principal 
regulating  the  decision,  any  large  establishment,  af- 
fording sufficient  houseroom,  with  tableware  and  furni- 
ture at  command,  and,  at  the  same  time,  affording  full 
facilities  of  wood  and  water,  would  answer  our  wants." 

General  Smith  then  presented  a  detailed  plan  for  the 
restoration  of  the  Institute,  and  the  reorganization  of 
the  School  along  the  broadest  imaginable  lines,  with  an 
enumeration  of  the  many  reasons  for  its  reestablishment 
in  Lexington,  and  a  statement  that  the  people  of  Lynch- 
burg were  willing  to  advance  the  funds  for  the  erection 
of  the  necessary  buildings,  should  the  Institute  be  re- 
built in  that  city.  It  is  difficult  to  understand  how  one 
whose  life  had  been  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  a  struggle 
against  apparently  insurmountable  difficulties,  could  be 
as  optimistic  as  General  Smith.  It  can  only  be  ex- 
plained by  the  fact  that  his  heart  was  in  his  work,  and, 
that  being  so,  the  will  would  make  the  way. 


384  The  jNIilitary  History  of 

Until  late  in  the  summer,  he  cherished  the  hope  that 
arrangements  could  be  made  for  >  the  resumption  of 
academic  duties  in  Lexington;  but  by  the  middle  of 
August,  he  was  compelled  to  recognize  that  this  could 
not  be  done  at  the  time  appointed.  The  following  order 
was  then  published  and  widely  circulated: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"Lexington,  Va.,  August  13,  1864. 

"General  Orders — No.  22. 

"I.  The  exercises  of  this  Institution  will  be  resumed  at 
Lexington  on  the  1st  day  of  October,  on  which  day  all  officers  and 
furloughed  cadets  will  promptly  report  for  dmty. 

"II.  As  the  supplies  of  the  Institution,  embracing  clothing, 
books,  and  subsistence  stores,  were  destroyed  by  the  public  enemy, 
it  is  essential  that  each  cadet  shall  bring  with  him  a  full  supply 
of  underclothing,  one  grey  jacket,  one  pair  of  grey  pants,  one  over- 
coat, two  pairs  of  shoes,  single  mattress  and  bedding,  four  towels, 
comb,  hairbrush,  and  toothbrush,  and  also  a  knife  and  fork. 
Mattresses  can  be  bought  here. 

"III.  If  grey  cloth  can  be  bought  by  the  cadets,  the  clothes 
can  be  made  up  at  the  Institute. 

"IV.  Each  cadet  will  bring  with  him  a  list  of  his  clothing  to 
be  filed  with  the  Quartermaster. 

"V.  The  difficulty,  if  not  impossibility,  of  securing  full  supplies 
of  meat,  suggest  the  necessity  of  each  cadet  bringing  with  him  100 
pounds  of  bacon.  The  amount  brought  will  be  credited  to  his 
expense  account  at  the  Government  rates. 

"VI.  Each  cadet  will  also  bring  with  him  the  class  books 
which  may  be  required,  as  far  as  practicable.  In  the  4th  Class, 
Smith's  or  Bourdon's  Algebra,  Legendre's  Geometry,  Levizac's 
French  Grammar  and  Gil  Bias.  In  the  3d  Class,  Smith's  Analytical 
Geometry,  and  Davies'  Descriptive  Geometry.  In  the  2d  Class, 
Courtnay's  Calculus,  are  the  books  needed. 

"VII.  Temporary  brick  cabins  are  now  in  course  of  con- 
struction for  the  accommodation  of  the  cadets.  The  wanton  de- 
struction of  the  barracks  and  other  public  buildings  by  the  enemy, 
will  deprive  the  cadets  of  the  usual  conveniences  supplied  them,  but 
the  patriotic  spirit  which  animates  the  whole  people  will  make 
them  clieerfully  endure  many  discomforts,  until  the  Institution  can 
be  restored  to  its  original  condition. 

"By  command  of  Major-General  F.  H.  Smith, 

"J.  H.  Morrison, 

"A.  A.,  V.  M.  I." 


»w-  , .   :  fc*-,  , 


■.  ^  ♦«.* ,  ■ ,:~.  ***     "..' ..  kfc*    ■  ..'  ■;  •  »■ 


MAJOR-GENERAL    ROBERT    EDWAKD    K()1>E8.    C.    S.    A. 

Assistant   1'uofessor    1848-18ri1 
Professor   1860-1864 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  38.5 

But  as  fall  approached,  it  was  obvious  even  to  the 
energetic  and  optimistic  Superintendent  that  he  could 
not,  with  the  facilities  available,  conduct  the  School  in 
Lexington,  even  were  the  cabins  referred  to  completed 
on  time.*  There  were  more  insurmountable  difficulties 
than  the  lack  of  suitable  quarters,  among  which  were 
those  of  securing  supplies,  and  the  exposed  position  of 
Lexington,  for  the  Confederate  troops  in  Virginia  were 
now  concentrated  about  Richmond  and  Petersburg,  with 
the  exception  of  Early's  command  in  the  Valley,  which 
was  opposed  by  a  greatly  superior  force,  under 
Sheridan.  In  the  event  of  Early's  defeat  by  Sheridan 
the  Valley  would  be  open  again  to  the  invaders;  and, 
as  Grant  had  transferred  Sheridan  to  the  command  of 
the  Federal  Army  in  the  Valley,  with  the  avowed 
purpose  of  overrunning  it  and  reducing  it  to  a  state  of 
utter  desolation,  the  prospect  of  an  uninterrupted  oc- 
cupation of  Lexington  was  not  a  bright  one.  The  idea 
of  expending  a  large  amount  of  money  upon  new  build- 
ings and  equipment,  under  such  circumstances,  was  out 
of  the  question. 

Accordingly,  the  Board,  at  the  persistent  requests  of 
the  Confederate  Government,  directed  that  the  Corps 
be  reassembled  on  the  postponed  date,  October  1st.  at 
Camp  Lee,  instead  of  at  Lexington,  while  arrangements 
for  the  resumption  of  academic  work  were  being  com- 
pleted. 

Colonels  Preston,  Gilham,  Williamson,  and  Massie 
of  the  permanent  faculty  were  on  hand  at  the  time  ap- 
pointed, and  the  Board  fixed  November  1st  as  the  date 
for  the  resumption  of  academic  duties.  Meantime,  the 
Corps  was  to  be  reorganized  and  reequipped,  during  the 
month  of  October. 

Although  it  had  been  understood  by  the  Board  of 
Visitors    and   the    Superintendent    that    the    Corps    of 

♦These  cabins  were  small  two-storied  brick  structures  erected  on  the  hillside 
between  the  site  of  Barracks  and  the  Mess  Hall.  There  were  four  of  them. 
They  were  torn  down  in  1003  and  1900,  when  the  present  Administration  Build- 
ing and  Maury-Brook  Hall  were  erected,  respectively.  It  was  in  them  that  the 
cadets  were  quartered  when  the  Institute  was  reopened  after  the  war,  September 
10,   1866. 


25 


386  The  Military  Histoky  of 

Cadets  would  be  placed  under  the  nominal  command  of 
General  Kemper,  commanding  the  Reserve  Forces  of 
Virginia,  they  had  believed  that  the  cadets  would  be 
exempted  from  field  service,  so  that  serious  application 
to  academic  work  might  be  secured.  But  almost  im- 
mediately upon  the  appearance  of  the  first  cadets  at 
Camp  Lee,  the  following  order  was  issued: 

"Headquarters,  Reserve  Forces. 

"October  3,  1864. 
"Special  Orders — No.  102. 

"The  commencement  of  the  next  regular  session  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute  having  been  postponed  until  the  1st  of  November 
next,  all  cadets  who  are  not  under  seventeen  years  of  age  and  not 
already  assigned  to  duty  in  the  field  by  orders  from  the  War  De- 
partment, or  from  these  headquarters,  are  hei*eby  required  to  report 
without  delay  to  Maj.  T.  G.  Peyton,  commandant  of  the  camp  of 
instruction  at  Camp  Lee,  near  Richmond,  for  immediate  and 
temporary  field-service.  Cadets  under  seventeen  years  of  age  are 
also  earnestly  invited  to  report  at  once  for  assignment  to  duty. 

"All  furloughs  and  exemptions,  heretofore  granted  to  cadets,  are, 
by  command  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  revoked. 

"The  cadets  will  be  released  from  field-service  by  or  before  the 
commencement  of  the  session  of  the  Institute. 

"By  order  of  Major-General  Kemper, 

"R.  H.  Catlett, 

"Assistant  Adjutant-General." 

Upon  the  publication  of  this  order,  the  Superin- 
tendent, alarmed  by  what  he  deemed  an  arbitrary  as- 
sumption of  authority  over  the  Corps  of  Cadets, 
addressed  a  protest  to  the  Adjutant- General  of 
Virginia. 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"October  8,  1864.. 

"Major-General  William  H.  Richardson, 
"  Adj  utant-General. 

"General — I  have  this  moment  seen  Special  Orders  No.  102, 
from  the  headquarters  of  the  reserve  forces,  dated  October  3,  1864, 
a  copy  of  which  I  herewith  enclose.  The  authority  exercised  by 
the  Confederate  authorities  over  the  cadets  of  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute,  under  these   orders,   is   directly   in   conflict  with  the   in- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  387 

structions  which  I  have  received  from  the  Governor  of  Virginia, 
under  your  order  of  October  14,  1862,  and  of  the  Special  Order 
given  to  me  personally  by  His  Excellency,  Governor  Smith,  in  June, 
1864.  I  feel  myself  embarrassed  in  my  duty  under  the  circum- 
stances which  surround  the  case.  I  extract  the  closing  paragraph 
of  vour  order  of  October  14,  1862. 

"  'The  Governor,  in  view  of  all  these  important  facts,  feels  it 
to  be  incumbent  upon  him  to  direct  the  Superintendent  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Military  Institute  not  to  surrender  any  cadet  who  may  be 
claimed  as  a  conscript  by  the  Confederate  authority,  until  the 
constitutionality  of  the  act  of  Congress,  called  the  "Conscript  Law," 
shall  have  been  tested,  the  legislative  will  of  the  State  ascertained, 
or  until  further  orders.' 

"The  authorities  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  have  no  dis- 
position to  withhold  the  cadets  from  the  service  of  the  country  in 
this  hour  of  its  peril  and  need.  They  have  promptly  sanctioned 
their  service,  without  stint  and  at  costly  sacrifice  of  blood,  to  the 
cause  of  the  country.  But  the  State,  through  its  Military  Institute, 
stands  as  a  guardian,  in  her  sovereign  capacity,  to  these  young 
soldiers,  and  it  seems  to  be  but  just  and  proper  that  when  their 
services  are  required  on  the  field  of  battle  they  should  be  sent 
forth  under  the  authority  of  the  State  whose  servants  they  are,  that 
the  care  and  protection  which  has  been  assumed  and  promised  to 
them  may  be  rendered.  Where  thus  rallied  around  the  standard  of 
the  country,  they  will  present  an  organized  Virginia  command  which 
may  be  extended  to  embrace  many  others  who  would  promptly 
rally  around  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  and  by  their  efficiency 
render  valuable  service,  without  detriment  to  their  morals. 

"If  Special  Orders,  No.  102,  be  persisted  in,  the  organization 
of  the  Military  Institute  will  be  destroyed,  and  I  apprehend  the 
worst  of  consequences  to  the  individual  members  of  the  Institute. 

"I  remain.  General,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"Francis  H.  Smith, 
"Brevet  Major-General  and  Superintendent."* 

Upon  receipt  of  this  protest  the  Adjutant-General 
of  Virginia  obtained  assurances  from  the  Secretary  of 
War  that  no  intention  of  dispersing  the  cadets,  or  inter- 
fering with  the  conduct  of  the  Institute,  was  entertained, 
and  that  the  Corps  would  only  be  used  under  the  most 
emergent  conditions. 

Prompt  steps  were  now  taken  by  the  Secretary  of 
War  and  General  Kemper  to  reassemble  the  tactical 
officers  of  the  Institute.     Captains   Henry  A.  Wise, 

•Rebellion   Records.    Series  IV.   Vol.    III.   pp.    722-723. 


388  The  Military  Histoby  of 

Frank  Preston,  and  T.  B.  Robinson,  were  ordered  to 
report  for  duty  with  the  Corps  of  Cadets,*  and  on  the 
14th  of  October  the  Secretary  of  War  reassigned  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Scott  Shipp  to  duty  as  Commandant.** 
On  the  22d,  First  Lieutenant  C.  Y.  Steptoe,  Adjutant 
44th  Virginia  Infantry,  was  detailed  by  the  Secretary 
of  War,  to  complete  the  tactical  staff,  f 

New  cadets  had  reported  in  large  numbers,  and  in 
addition  to  the  appointment  of  many  Confederate 
Cadets,  the  Secretary  of  War  assigned  no  less  than 
seven  young  conscripts  to  duty  with  the  Corps  at  one 
time.  But  very  few  of  the  cadets  furloughed  at  Lex- 
ington on  June  27th  rejoined,  for  most  of  them  had 
found  berths  in  the  various  armies  of  the  Confederacy. 
The  record  of  those  who  returned  is  imperfect.  Late 
in  Januarj^  there  were  but  50  cadets  in  the  Third  Class, 
and  in  March  there  were  but  22  in  the  Second  Class;  so, 
in  all  probability,  not  more  than  100  old  cadets  reported 
for  duty  October  1,  1864;  but  before  the  end  of  the 
month  not  less  than  150  new  cadets  had  matriculated. 

Academic  work  in  camp  was  out  of  the  question,  but 
in  this  the  Confederate  Government  was  not  particu- 
larly interested.  Its  purpose  in  urging  the  reorganiza- 
tion of  the  Corps  was  a  strictly  military  one.  So  long 
as  the  art  of  war  was  taught,  and  military  training  im- 
parted to  a  large  number  of  Southern  youth,  its  ex- 
pectations were  fulfilled.  This  it  demanded  with  an 
insistence  which  is  the  best  evidence  of  its  regard  for  the 
work  of  the  institution  in  the  past,  from  which  it  had 
profited  so  much.  Besides,  there  were  many  military 
duties  the  cadets  could  perform,  and  they  were  in 
constant  demand  for  such  purposes. 

The  Corps  had  hardly  begun  to  assemble  when  it  was 
called  upon  by  General  Ewell,  commanding  the  De- 
partment of  Richmond,  to  furnish  details  on  October 
5th  and  7th  to  receive  about  a  thousand  paroled  Con- 

*S.   O.    No.   Ill,   Reserve   Forces   of   Va.,   Oct.    14,    1864;     S.   O.    No.    117.   Oct. 

'  **S.  O.  No.  244,  A.  &  I.  G.  O.,  Oct.  14,  1884. 
fS.  O.  No.  251,  A.  &  I.  G.  O..  Oct.  22,  1864. 


The  Virginia  JNIilitary  Institute  389 

federate  prisoners  at  Cox's  wharf  in  Rocketts,  under  a 
flag  of  truce.* 

On  the  27th  of  October,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
leaving  only  sufficient  men  in  the  trenches  around 
Petersburg  to  maintain  them  against  Lee,  moved  by 
the  Confederate  right.  The  Second  Corps,  followed  by 
two  divisions  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  with  the  cavalry  in 
advance  and  covering  the  Federal  left  flank,  forced  a 
passage  over  Hatcher's  Run,  and  moved  up  south  of 
it  toward  the  South-Side  Railroad,  until  the  Second 
Corps,  and  part  of  the  cavalry,  reached  the  Boydton 
Plank  Road  where  it  crosses  Hatcher's  Run.  At  this 
point,  the  Federals  were  but  six  miles  distant  from  the 
railroad  which  Grant  had  expected  to  reach  and  hold. 
But  A.  P.  Hill  met  Hancock's  Corps,  and,  after  a 
desperate  conflict,  the  Federals  returned  to  their  works 
about  Petersburg. 

In  support  of  this  movement,  General  Butler  was 
directed  to  make  a  demonstration  on  the  north  side  of 
the  James,  and  attacked  the  enemy  on  the  Williamsburg 
Road,  and  also  along  the  York  River  Railroad.  In  the 
latter  quarter,  the  Federals  succeeded  in  taking  a 
work  which  was  soon  abandoned.**  This  attack  ex- 
tended from  the  Darbytown  Road  to  the  Yorktown 
Road,  the  main  fighting  being  near  Fair  Oaks.  Butler 
states  in  his  report  that  he  kept  the  column  of  the  10th 
Corps,  under  Terry,  and  the  column  of  the  18th  Corps, 
under  Weitzel  (which  assaulted  Longstreet's  lines  on 
the  27th),  in  position,  inviting  attack  until  noon  of  the 
next  day.t 

It  was  during  the  fighting  on  the  27th,  that  the 
Secretary  of  War  directed  the  Commandant  to  report 
with  the  Corps  of  Cadets  to  Lieutenant-General 
J.  C.  Pemberton,  commanding  the  artillery  defenses. J 
Pemberton  who  had  organized  the  departmental  em- 
ployees into  a  reserve  force,  at  once  directed  Colonel 

♦Original  orders  in  possession  of  General  Shipp. 

♦•Rebellion  Records,  Series  I,  Vol.  XLVI.  Part  1,  p.  31,  Report  of  Gen.  U.  S. 
Grant. 

tRebellion  Records,  Series  I,  Vol.  XLII,  Part  1,  p.  23. 

tS.  O.  No.  256,  A.  &  I.  G.  O..  October  27,  1864.  Original  in  Gen.  Shipp's 
possession. 


390  The  Military  History  of 

Shipp  to  march  out  to  the  junction  of  the  WiUiams- 
burg  Road  and  the  intermediate  hue  of  works,  and  to 
report  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  Atkinson,  commanding 
the  First  District,  Artillery  Defenses. 

Upon  arriving  at  Poe's  farm,  it  was  learned  by  the 
cadets  that  the  enemy  had  been  repulsed.  Field's 
Division  of  Longstreet's  Corps  having  taken  seven 
stands  of  colors;  but  the  Corps  of  Cadets  was  ordered 
to  go  into  permanent  camp  as  an  infantry  support  for 
the  nearby  battery.* 

Wliile  in  this  camp  the  service  of  the  cadets  con- 
sisted of  daily  drills  and  the  usual  picket  and  guard 
duty  of  a  command  in  the  field.  The  season  was  a 
severe  one,  and  the  discomforts  experienced  at  Poe's 
farm  were  exceptionally  trying.  The  Corps  was 
sheltered  in  tents  without  walls  or  flies,  and  it  became 
necessary  as  the  winter  approached  to  bank  the  tents 
with  earth,  and  build  fireplaces  and  chimneys  with  bricks 
and  mortar.  As  the  cadets  were  not  skilled  chimney 
builders,  the  occupancy  of  these  tents  was  very  disagree- 
able in  cold  weather,  when  green  wood  had  to  be  used 
for  fuel. 

It  should  be  noted  here  that  the  Corps  of  Cadets  now 
comprised  a  part  of  the  Confederate  forces  of  the  De- 
partment of  Richmond,  Lieutenant-General  Ewell 
commanding,  and  was  under  the  direct  control  of  the 
Secretary  of  War.  It  had  not  been  subject  to  the  State 
authority  since  its  departure  from  Camp  Lee  where 
it  had  been  held  in  camp  as  a  part  of  the  Reserve  Forces 
of  Virginia. 

November  10th,  the  District  Commander  requested 
the  Commandant  to  furnish  him  with  five  cadet  drill- 
masters  for  King's  company  of  Reserve  Artillery.  For 
the  next  two  weeks  this  command  was  drilled  by  the 
cadets  detailed  for  the  purpose  from  2:30  to  3:30  p.  m., 
daily. 

During  the  summer  of  1864,  a  tremendous  effort  was 
made  by  the  War  Department  to  cause  the  States  to 

♦Lee's  Official  Dispatch,  Oct.   27,  1864. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  391 

create  reserve  forces  for  garrison  and  other  special 
duties,  in  order  that  the  regular  hne  regiments  might 
be  freed  from  such  demands,  and  enabled  to  join  the 
armies  in  the  field.  Accordingly,  South  Carolina 
undertook  the  organization  of  a  command  known  as  the 
Foreign  Battahon,  of  which  the  men  were  recruited 
from  among  the  foreigners  in  the  various  cities  of  the 
State.  Some  of  these  men  were  Federal  prisoners  who 
were  willing  enough  to  serve  in  either  army,  so  long  as 
their  pay  was  forthcoming.  Great  difficulty  had  been 
experienced  in  securing  officers  able  and  willing  to 
command  these  "Galvanized  Yankees,"  as  they  were 
called.  At  the  outset  they  mutinied  and  attempted  to 
murder  their  officers.  They  were  mingled  in  regard 
to  nationality  and  showed  no  desire  to  fight.  The  ex- 
pedient of  securing  young  officers  from  the  Institute 
for  the  Battalion  was  adopted  by  Lieutenant-Colonel 
I.  G.  Tucker,  commanding,  and  during  the  summer  the 
Commandant  was  requested  to  recommend  a  number 
of  recent  graduates  for  the  office  of  Captain  of  Compan- 
ies F,  G,  and  H,  First  Foreign  Battalion.  Early  in 
November,  he  was  informed  that  five  more  companies 
were  to  be  formed  and  urged  to  forward  his  recom- 
mendations which  included  among  others  Collier  H. 
Minge,  B.  A.  Colonna,  Cary  Weston,  and  W.  C. 
Hardy,  all  of  whom  had  been  cadet  officers  in  the  New 
Market  Battalion,  graduating  June  27,  1864. 

All  of  those  recommended  were  duly  elected  No- 
vember 17th,  and  their  certificates  of  election  for- 
warded to  the  Commandant. 

Under  date  of  November  30th,  the  Commandant  re- 
ceived a  communication  from  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Tucker  in  which  the  following  appeared : 

"Your  cadets  who  have  reported  have  more  than  come 
up  to  the  expectations  the  Colonel  had  formed,  and 
give  universal  satisfaction.  Bully  for  the  old  V.  M.  I."* 
In  December,  the  Secretary  of  War,  in  order  to  com- 
plete the  commissioned  personnel  of  the  First  Foreign 

♦Original  correspondence  in  possession  of  General  Shlpp. 


392  The  Military  History  of 

Battalion,  which  had  been  organized  in  Cokimbia,  as- 
signed thereto  J.  G.  Penn,  a  Confederate  cadet,  as 
Second  Lientenant  Company  G.*  The  Second  For- 
eign Battahon  was  recruited  in  Aiken.  The  First 
BattaHon  was  commanded  by  Colonna  from  the  time  of 
his  arrival  in  South  Carolina,  and  the  experiences  and 
exploits  of  this  remarkable  man  furnish  material  for  a 
separate  volume. 

The  Superintendent  had  chafed  with  exceeding- 
impatience,  throughout  the  month  of  November,  over 
the  detention  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets  in  the  field,  and 
had  endeavored  in  vain  to  have  some  other  command 
substituted  at  Poe's  farm  for  it.  At  last  it  seemed  he 
was  to  carry  his  point,  when  on  November  28th,  he 
secured  the  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War  for  the  cadets 
to  be  relieved  and  turned  over  to  the  State  authorities 
for  the  purpose  of  resuming  academic  work,  December 
1st.** 

But  it  was  not  to  be,  for  a  movement  of  the  enemy  was 
that  day  detected,  and  the  operation  of  the  order  was 
at  once  suspended,  t  This  was  most  exasperating  to  the 
Superintendent,  but  he  was  not  discouraged,  for  he 
recognized  the  military  exigencies  of  the  situation. 
December  10th,  however,  the  Corps  of  Cadets  was 
finally  relieved  from  duty  in  the  trenches  and  again 
ordered  to  report  to  the  Superintendent. J: 

General  Smith  had  meantime  been  verj^  active  in  ar- 
ranging for  the  reopening  of  the  Institute. 

The  City  of  Richmond  had  at  this  time  a  very  fine 
new  Almshouse,  erected  just  as  the  war  broke  out. 
The  people  were  so  poor  in  1864,  that  none  could  give 
to  its  support,  and  the  great  building  stood  vacant,  and 
had  never  been  used.  Knowing  this,  the  resourceful 
Superintendent  secured  the  spacious  establishment  for 
the  use  of  the  Institute,  as  it  was  quite  suitable  to  its 
purposes.  When  the  Corps  was  turned  over  to  him 
he  was  thoroughl}^  prepared  to  receive  it. 

•S.  O.  No.  288,  A.  &  I.  G.  O..  Dec.  5,  1864. 
**S.  O.  No.  282,  A.  &  I.  G.  O.,  Nov.  28,  18(54. 
tS.  O.  No.  283,  A.  &  I.  G.  O.,  Nov.  28,  1864. 
jS.  O.   No.  29.3,  A.   &  I.  G.  O.,  Dec.   ll>.   1864. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  393 

That  day,  the  Commandant  received  at  Poe's  farm 
the  following  orders : 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"Richmond,  December   10,   1864. 

"Special  Orders — No.  126. 

"I.  The  Corps  of  Cadets,  having  been  relieved  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  from  their  duty  in  the  field  and  turned  over  to  the 
authorities  of  the  State,  will  be  moved  into  the  Alms  House,  Rich- 
mond, early  Monday  morning. 

"II.  Witli  the  view  of  enabling  those  cadets  who  have  not 
been  supplied  with  their  outfit  of  clothing,  etc.,  to  visit  their  homes 
to  procure  the  same,  a  furlough  of  10  days  will  be  allowed  to  all 
who  will  give  the  Superintendent  satisfactory  evidence  that  such 
an  indulgence  is  desired  by  the  parent  or  guardian,  and  can  be 
availed  of  for  the  purpose. 

"III.  It  is  believed  that  cadets  on  furlough,  under  existing 
circumstances,  will  be  entitled  to  transportation  on  the  railroads 
at  the  same  rates  as  soldiers  on  furlough,  viz.,  half  price. 

"By  command  of  Major-Gen'l  F.  H.  Smith, 

"J.  H.  Morrison, 

"A.  A.,  V.  M.  I." 


"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"Richmond,  Va.,  December  10,  1864. 

"General  Orders — No.  23. 

"I.  The  Board  of  Visitors  having  directed  the  temporary 
organization  of  the  Institute  at  the  Alms  House,  City  of  Richmond, 
immediate  preparations  will  be  made  for  the  occupancy  of  the  same. 

"II.  The  Acting  Asst.  Quartermaster  will  appropriate  the 
western  wing  of  the  building  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Pro- 
fessors and  Officers  of  the  Institute,  allowing  to  each  quarters 
according  to  his  rank,  and  in  proportion  to  the  room  at  his  disposal. 
He  will  designate  rooms  for  the  Quartermaster  and  Commissary 
Stores,  for  the  Adjutant's  Office,  and  a  separate  room  for  the  stores 
in  charge  of  the  Steward,  and  will  see  that  the  keys  of  each  room 
be  turned  over  to  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  same,  and  for  which, 
he  will  be  held  accountable. 

"The  mess-room  and  kitchen,  with  the  rooms  and  pantries  con- 
nected therewith,  will  be  turned  over,  in  like  manner,  to  the 
Steward. 

"After  consultation  with  the  Surgeon,  one  or  more  rooms  will  be 
selected  in  the  western  wing  of  the  building  for  hospital  purposes, 
and  turned  over  to  that  officer,  and  ten  rooms  in  the  same  wing  will 


394  The  Military  History  of 

be  set  apart  for  Recitation  Rooms.  Rooms  will  also  be  assigned  to 
the  servants  and  will  be  required  by  them  to  be  kept  in  good  order. 

"III.  All  the  rooms  in  the  central  building,  except  those  other- 
wise specially  appropriated,  will  be  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Commandant  of  Cadets,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Corps  of 
Cadets,  under  such  arrangements  and  regulations  as  he  may  pre- 
scribe, and  for  this  purpose  all  the  keys  and  public  property  in 
these  rooms  will  be  turned  over  to  the  Commandant  of  Cadets  by 
the  Acting  Asst.  Quartermaster. 

"IV.  As  soon  as  the  cadets  are  moved  into  the  Alms  House,  all 
the  regulations  of  police  and  discipline  of  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute  will  be  enforced. 

"V.  The  building  now  temporarily  to  be  used  for  the  exercises 
of  the  Institution  has  been  secured  by  the  liberal  courtesy  of  the 
City  Council  of  Richmond,  and  every  care  will  be  taken,  on  the 
part  of  the  officers  and  cadets,  that  no  mutilation,  defacement,  or 
other  injury,  be  committed  in  any  part  of  the  same.  Full  pecuniary 
indemnity  will  not  only  be  required  for  all  such  damage,  but  the 
party,  if  a  cadet,  will  be  subjected  to  such  punishment  as  may  be 
prescribed  by  the  regulations. 

"VI.  Every  precaution  will  be  made  to  guard  against  fires,  and 
no  wastage  of  fuel  or  gas  or  water  will  be  permitted. 

"By  command  of  Major-Gen'l  F.  H.  Smith, 

"J.  H.  Morrison, 

"Act.  Adjt.,  V.  M.  I." 

Most  of  the  Virginia  cadets  took  advantage  of  the 
furlough  authorized,  and  on  December  30th  academic 
exercises  were  ordered  to  commence  the  following 
Monday. 

The  prescribed  instruction  for  the  various  classes  was 
as  follows: 

1st  Class 

Rhetoric,  alternate  days,  3  to  4  p.  m. 

Moral  Philosophy,  alternate  days,  3  to  4  p.  m. 

Engineering,  daily,  9  to  10  a.  m. 

Natural  Philosophy,  daily,  11  to  12  a.  m. 

Ordnance  and  Gunnery,  daily,  1  to  2  p.  m. 

2d  Class 

Mathematics,  three  sections,  9  a.  m.  to  12,  daily. 
Latin,  three  sections,  12  to  3  p.  m.,  daily. 
Chemistry,  whole  class,  3  to  4  p.  m.,  daily. 
Infantry  Tactics,  daily. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  395 

3d  Class 

Mathematics,  five  sections,  9  a.  m.  to  12,  daily. 
Latin,  four  sections,  12  to  4  p.  m.,  daily. 
French,  four  sections,  12  to  4  p.  m.,  daily. 

4th  Class 

Mathematics,  eight  sections,  9  a.  m.  to  12,  daily. 
French,  eight  sections,  12  to  4  p.  m.,  daily. 
Geography,  four  sections,  alternate  days,  2  to  4  p.  M. 

The  military  routine  was  as  follows: 

Reveille,  6  a.  m. 

Troop,  7:30  a.  m. 

Breakfast  Roll  Call,  8:30  a.  m. 

Dinner  Roll  Call,  4 :30  p.  m. 

Retreat,  sunset. 

Call  to  Quarters,  9  a.  m.,  and  one  hour  after  Retreat. 

Tattoo,  9  p.  M. 

Taps,  10  p.  M. 

Study  hours  from  Reveille  to  Troop,  from  9.  a.  m.  to 

4  p.  M.,  and  from  Evening  Call  to  Quarters  to  Tattoo. 
Church  Roll  Call,  9:30  a.  m. 

There  were  but  two  meals  served,  and  full  duty  was 
prescribed  for  Saturdays.  But  four  cadets  from  each 
company  were  allowed  passes  each  day.  The  cadet 
limits  were  fixed  as  the  grounds  surrounding  the  Bar- 
racks and  the  side  walk  surrounding  the  Cemetery,  in 
front  thereof. 

Upon  the  resumption  of  academic  work  the  faculty 
consisted  of  General  Smith,  and  Colonels  Preston, 
Williamson,  Gilham,  Massie,  and  Shipp,  and  Captains 
Semmes,  Wise,  Robinson,  Preston,  Hill,  and  Morrison, 
Officers  of  the  Institute,  and  Colonel  J.  D.  H.  Ross, 
and  Lieutenant  C.  Y.  Steptoe,  both  of  whom  were 
suffering  from  wounds.  They  were  attached  by  order 
of  the  Secretary  of  War. 

With  a  knowledge  of  the  foregoing  provisions,  one 
could  have  little  doubt  that  serious  work  was  con- 
templated by  the  Superintendent.  Verily,  was  the  28th 
of  December,  1864,  a  day  of  triumph  for  him.     For 


396  The  Military  History  of 

twenty-two  years,  he  had  labored  incessantly  building 
up  Virginia's  great  School  of  Arms,  only  to  see  war 
threaten,  in  1861,  to  disperse  forever  his  scholars.  Again 
in  1862,  he  had  reorganized  the  institution  and  built 
it  up  upon  a  foundation  of  incalculable  usefulness  to 
the  South.  Ainid  all  the  surrounding  dangers  he  had 
held  steadfastly  to  his  purpose,  and  as  occasion  had  re- 
quired, the  cadet  had  cast  aside  the  text-book  to  sally 
forth  to  the  defense  of  his  lecture  halls,  each  time  re- 
turning to  pick  up  the  work  of  education  where  it  had 
been  dropped.  And,  then,  pressing  on  with  the  avowed 
purpose  of  destroying  the  School,  the  enemy  could  no 
longer  be  denied;  Virginia's  great  institution  had  then 
been  desolated  by  the  invader.  But  only  the  School  in 
its  physical  form  could  be  prostrated.  The  spirit  which 
had  created  and  maintained  it  still  burned  as  brightly 
as  before,  and  now,  with  facilities  beyond  all  expecta- 
tions, a  full  faculty  reassembled,  and  nearly  300  youths 
from  every  section  of  the  nation,  testifying  by  their 
presence  to  the  high  esteem  of  the  Southern  people, 
and  the  respect  with  which  the  Confederate  Government 
held  this  indispensable  adjunct  of  its  military  establish- 
ment, the  West  Point  of  the  Confederacy  was  again  to 
open  its  academic  halls.  This  result,  though  meeting 
with  the  wishes  of  all,  was  accomplished  by  the  in- 
domitable will  of  a  single  individual — Francis  Henney 
Smith. 

What  could  be  more  fitting  than  that  we  should  here 
let  that  faithful  servant  of  his  country  speak  as  he 
spoke  to  the  assembled  officers  and  cadets,  and  the  many 
distinguished  soldiers,  officials,  and  citizens,  who  gath- 
ered together  at  the  Almshouse,  December  28th,  1864, 
to  celebrate  the  resumption  of  the  academic  duties  of  the 
Institute.* 


*The  following  is  the  introductory  lecture  read  before  the  Corps  of  Cadets 
on  this  memorable  occasion  by  the  Superintendent.  It  was  published  in 
pamphlet  form  in  1865  by  order  of  the  Board  of  Visitors,  and  the  only  copy 
of  that  paper  ever  seen  by  the  writer,  or  known  bv  him  to  exist,  was  presented 
to  him  in  1013  by  Mrs.  Crawford,  of  Williamsburg  (nee  Elizabeth  Ewell  Scott). 
a  kinswoman  of  General  Ewell.  commanding  the  Department  of  Richmond 
in  December.  1864,  to  whom  in  the  handwriting  of  General  Smith  it  was  in- 
scribed. It  is  here  inserted  in  full,  not  only  to  preserve  the  text,  but  because 
it  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  papers  ever  written  concerning  the  Institute. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  397 

"Many  days  of  memorable  interest  are  traced  in  un- 
dying  characters  through  the  brief  annals  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Military  Institute. 

"That  cold  and  blustering  eve,  on  the  11th  of  No- 
vember, 1839,  when  a  squad  of  young  Virginians  un- 
furled the  banner  of  their  State  from  the  Arsenal 
building  at  Lexington,  as  the  standard  of  the  'V.  M.  I. 
Cadet,'  will  never  be  forgotten  by  any  who  participated 
in  that  interesting  ceremony. 

"The  4th  of  Julv,  1842,  was  the  birthday  of  the  First 
Graduating  Class, — the  pioneers  in  the  great  work  to 
which  the  institution  had  been  dedicated  b}^  its  founders. 

"When  on  the  4th  of  July,  1850,  General  Philip  St. 
George  Cocke,  as  President  of  the  Board  of  Visitors, 
laid  with  impressive  ceremonials  the  corner-stone  of 
that  magnificent  building,  erected  by  the  liberality  of 
the  State  of  Virginia,  all  felt  that  that  day  permanently 
fixed  the  State  policy  in  support  of  the  Virginia  Mili- 
tary Institute.  Ten  hard  probationary  years  had  rolled 
away — the  test  of  experiment  in  its  severest  ordeal  had 
been  applied,— and,  with  the  plaudit  'well  done!',  the 
Commonwealth  of  Virginia  adopted  as  her  own  the 
bantling  of  1839. 

"Who  can  ever  forget  that  turbulent  crowd — eager 
for  the  fray — which  sought,  under  the  plea  of  a  fancied 
insult,  to  give  vent  to  the  revolutionary  fires  that  burned 
within.  The  State  of  Virginia  had  actually  seceded, 
but  her  independence  was  not  publicly  known — and  that 
Saturday  afternoon,  in  April,  1861,  was  nigh  witnessing 
a  sanguinary  drama,  the  prelude  to  the  struggle  which 
soon  followed.* 

"Ah,  what  memories  cluster  around  the  loth  of  May, 
1864 !  The  battlefield  had  been  familiar  to  most  of  those 
trained  in  this  nursery  of  patriot  soldiers.  But  that 
day  was  signalized  by  the  conspicuous  gallantry  of  the 
Corps  of  Cadets  as  a  battalion — and  the  dead — and  the 
wounded — and  the  living — bear  testimony  to  the  glory 

*Gen.  Smith  hei'e  refers  to  the  flag  raising  in  Lexington.  See  previous 
chapter. 


398  The  Militasy  History 


\ji' 


which  encircles  the  brow  of  all  who  participated  in  that 
brilliant  victory  of  New  Market. 

"Just  one  month  later,  and  the  clouds  of  heaven  re- 
flected the  conflagration  which  made  the  cherished  home 
of  the  cadet  a  mass  of  ruins! 

"Memorable  days !  all  of  these !  And  now,  once  more, 
to-day,  in  this  building,  appropriated  as  an  asylum  for 
the  destitute  and  the  homeless,  we  are  to  add  another 
to  the  many  eventful  days  in  our  memorable  history. 

"Truly,  every  cadet  is  to  realize  now  the  character 
and  the  destiny  of  the  soldier-scholar.  He  finds  him- 
self in  a  beleaguered  city.  The  roar  of  the  cannon 
awakes  him  in  the  morning — and  lulls  him  to  sleep  at 
night.  He  has  to  study  with  his  armor  on,  and  his 
musket  by  his  side,  ready  for  the  lecture  room  or  the 
battlefield,  as  duty  may  call.  Cadets!  Soldier- 
scholars  !  you  are  to  make  this  day  memorable,  as  illus- 
trating by  your  valor  on  the  one  hand,  and  by  your 
assiduity  on  the  other,  the  spirit  of  the  institution  which 
aims  to  train  you,  amid  these  surroundings,  for  the  crisis 
of  your  country's  history. 

"It  is  sm-ely  not  necessary  for  me,  at  this  time,  to 
refer  to  the  many  and  serious  difficulties  which  em- 
barrass an  institution  like  this,  in  its  efforts  to  continue 
its  operations  under  the  circumstances  which  surround 
it.  There  is  scarcely  a  comfort  that  may  be  required  for 
you,  as  a  soldier  or  a  scholar,  that  has  not  been  procured 
and  preserved,  at  great  labor  and  with  much  un- 
certainty. Even  the  house  which  now  shelters  you  was 
the  only  available  one  at  command,  and  this  has  been 
secured,  with  all  its  inconveniences  and  want  of  adapted- 
ness,  under  discouragements  and  serious  hindrances. 
There  must  then  have  been  good  and  substantial  reasons 
with  the  governing  authorities  of  the  institution  to  order 
its  continuance,  at  such  a  time  and  under  such  circmn- 
stances.  It  is  proper  that  these  reasons  should  be 
distinctly  set  before  you  to-day. 

"And  the  first  and  paramount  motive  was — a  sense 
of  the  essential  importance  of  this  mihtary  school  to  the 
military  defense  of  our  suffering  and  bleeding  country. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  399 

When  the  Confederate  Army  was  first  organized,  on 
the  opening  of  the  war,  most  persons  felt  the  importance 
of  mihtary  education.  The  graduates  of  the  U.  S. 
Mihtaiy  Academy  at  West  Point,  of  the  Virginia  Mih- 
tary Institute,  and  of  the  various  mihtary  schools  of 
the  South  were  promptly  and  eagerly  sought  for,  to 
take  commanding  positions  in  this  army. 

"Some  eight  hundred  of  those  who  have  been 
educated  at  this  institution  were  placed  in  com- 
mission— and  many  of  them  occupied  stations  of  high 
rank  and  responsibility.  It  is  estimated  that  one-tenth 
of  the  Confederate  Army,  in  1862,  was  mider  the  com- 
mand of  officers  who  had  been  trained  in  arms  here. 
Even  the  cadets  were  brought  into  requisition  at  once 
as  drill-masters,  and  here,  at  Camp  Lee — in  a  continued 
and  laborious  service  of  nearly  three  months — drilled 
1.5,000  (20,000)  of  the  gallant  army  that  achieved  the 
First  Battle  of  Manassas. 

"And  the  country  reaped  the  benefits  of  this  provi- 
dential supply  of  well-qualified  officers.  The  signal 
success  which  crowned  our  arms,  especially  in  Virginia, 
was  earned  by  the  valor  of  our  troops,  under  the  train- 
ing and  discipline  of  such  commanders. 

"But  other  views,  in  the  progress  of  the  war,  gained 
ground.  It  has  been  thought  that  the  battlefield  is  the 
place  to  tutor  officers — and  that,  now  that  our  whole 
country  has  been  made  one  military  camp,  the  lessons 
which  shall  qualify  the  soldier  for  command,  are  only 
properly  to  be  acquired  there.  Legislation  has  followed 
the  popular  idea;  appointments  to  command  are  made 
by  popular  election;  popularity,  or  supposed  fitness, 
secures  advancement  in  many  cases,  to  the  rejection  of 
the  educated  military  talent  of  the  country. 

"It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  military  genius  is  not  to 
be  tied  down  to  any  routine,  and  that  the  camp  and  the 
battlefield  are  emphatically  the  positions  to  test  and  de- 
velop the  military  qualities  of  an  officer.  Many  of  our 
most  distinguished  leaders  have  received  only  this 
practical  training.     But,  after  making  the  fullest  al- 


400  The  Military  History  of 

lowances  for  these  exceptional  cases,  and  giving  the 
fullest  credit  to  the  importance  of  that  experience  which 
public  service  alone  can  give,  I  am  prepared  to  say 
that  our  country  is  now  reaping  the  consequences  of 
grave  error  on  this  point,  and  that  the  disasters  which 
have  attended  our  arms  have  been  mainly  due  to 
the  lack  of  that  discipline  and  drill  which  it  is  the  special 
province  of  military  schools  to  impart.  Men  may  be 
never  so  brave;  they  may  be  led  by  officers  who  know 
no  fear ;  but  unless'  they  are  moved  in  the  order,  and 
with  the  conmiand  which  educated  discipline  gives,  the 
army  suffers  under  defeat,  and  hard-earned  victories 
are  thrown  away,  and  turned  into  disasters. 

"Need  I  cite  instances  to  illustrate  this  truth?  From 
Shiloh  to  the  unfortunate  disaster  at  Cedar  Creek,  the 
whole  war  presents  the  painful  fact,  that  where  valor 
has  achieved  the  greatest  successes,  the  w^ant  of  disci- 
pline and  drill  has  entailed  upon  us  many  serious  re- 
verses. 

"The  Father  of  his  Country,  when  President  of  the 
United  States,  had  learned,  from  his  experience  in  the 
field,  the  importance  of  military  instruction.  In  his 
annual  message,  December  3d,  1793,  he  suggested  the 
inquiry,  whether  the  act  of  Congress  of  May  8th,  1793, 
'more  effectually  to  provide  for  the  national  defense', 
etc.,  accompHshed  the  desired  objects;  and  whether  a 
material  feature  in  the  improvement  of  the  scheme 
'ought  not  to  be,  to  afford  an  opportunity  for  the  study 
of  those  branches  of  the  art,  which  can  scarcely  ever 
be  attained  by  practice  alone.'  And  in  his  message  of 
December  7,  1796,  he  again  introduced  the  subject  of 
military  instruction,   in  the   following  explicit  terms: 

"  'The  institution  of  a  military  academy  is  also  recom- 
mended by  cogent  reasons.  .  .  .  Whatever  argu- 
ment may  be  drawn  from  particular  examples  superfi- 
cially viewed,  a  thorough  examination  of  the  subject 
will  evince  that  the  art  of  war  is  both  comprehensive 
and  complicated;  that  it  demands  much  previous  study; 
and  that  the  possession  of  it  in  its  most  improved  and 


A  WAR-TIME   CADET  OFFICER 
(B.    A.    CoLONNA,   Commanding   Co.    D.    1864) 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  401 

perfect  state,  is  always  of  great  moment  to  the  security 
of  the  nation.' 

"These  views  led  to  the  establishment  of  the  Military 
Academy  at  West  Point,  and  the  practical  benefits 
which  have  resulted  from  that  important  arm  of  national 
defense  have  been  so  conspicuously  seen  by  the  Federal 
Government  since  this  war  commenced  that,  instead  of 
suspending  its  operations,  or  restricting  its  sphere  of 
usefulness,  in  consequence  of  the  number  of  trained 
officers  whom  practice  in  the  field  had  brought  out, 
increased  vigor  has  been  given  to  its  administration,  and 
it  is  reported  that  the  number  of  cadets  has  been  in- 
creased to  double  its  usual  complement. 

"Nor  has  the  U.  S.  Army  failed  to  reap  the  ad- 
vantages anticipated  by  the  Father  of  his  Countrj^ 
With  a  mercenary  body  of  men,  animated  by  no  such 
principle  as  that  which  fires  the  breast  of  every  Southern 
patriot,  its  discipline  and  drill  have  preserved  it  from 
disaster,  when  defeated,  and  given  it  a  power  that  mere 
force  of  nimibers  could  not  impart. 

"Shall  we  turn  to  the  pages  in  the  history  of  the 
French  Revolution  of  1789  for  additional  illustrations 
confirmatory  of  the  view  I  am  now  presenting?  Thiers 
thus  writes: 

"  'The  permanent  requisition  decreed  by  the  French 
Assembly,  in  August,  1793,  had  filled  the  army  with 
soldiers,  but  officers  were  wanting.  The  Committee 
acted  in  this  respect  with  its  accustomed  promptitude.' 
'The  Revolution,'  said  Barrere,  'must  accelerate  all 
things  for  the  supply  of  its  wants.  The  revolution  is  to 
the  hmnan  mind,  what  the  sun  of  Africa  is  to  vegetation.' 
The  school  of  Mars  was  reestablished.  Young  men, 
selected  from  all  the  provinces,  repaired,  on  foot,  and 
in  military  order,  to  Paris.  Encamped  in  tents  on  the 
plain  of  Sablons,  they  repaired  thither  to  acquire  rapid 
instruction  in  all  the  departments  of  the  art  of  war,  and 
then  to  be  distributed  among  the  armies. 

"So,  that  instead  of  relaxing  military  instruction, 
when  a  general  conscription  called  every  able-bodied 


2» 


402  The  Militaey  History  or 

soldier  into  the  field  to  resist  the  armies  of  the  allies,  such 
necessities  made  more  urgent  the  reestablishment  of  a 
school  which  had  been  closed  amid  the  disorders  incident 
to  the  opening  of  the  revolution.  And  France  reaped 
the  benefits  of  such  a  provision.  The  subaltern  officers 
of  the  army, — those  upon  whom  must  depend  the  disci- 
pline and  drill  of  the  companies,  that  regiments,  bri- 
gades and  divisions  may  be  moved  with  celerity,  order 
and  effect — were  supplied  from  these  military  schools; 
and  the  successes  of  1794,  and  the  following  years,  were 
the  fruits  of  the  policy  so  happily  enforced. 

"To  these  illustrations,  dra^n  from  history,  I  will 
only  add  the  testimony  of  the  great  and  invincible  com- 
mander of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  The  re- 
opening of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  1st  January, 
1862,  after  its  temporary  suspension  in  the  summer  and 
fall  of  1861,  was  urged  in  emphatic  terms  b}^  General 
Kobert  E.  Lee,  as  one  of  the  chief  instrumentalities  to 
keep  up  the  supply  of  well-qualified  officers;  and  on 
the  4th  of  July,  1864,  he  thus  expresses  himself: 

*'  'I  have  grieved  over  the  destruction  of  the  Military 
Institute,  but  the  good  it  has  done  to  the  country  can 
not  be  destroyed,  nor  can  its  name  or  fame  perish.  It 
will  rise  stronger  than  before,  and  continue  to  diffuse 
its  benefits  to  a  grateful  people.  Under  your  wise  ad- 
ministration, there  will  be  no  suspension  of  its  useful- 
ness. The  difficulties  by  which  it  is  surrounded  will 
call  forth  greater  energies  from  its  officers,  and  in- 
creased diligence  from  its  pupils.  Its  prosperity  I 
consider  certain.' 

"We  are  thus  engaged  in  a  great  public  work  which 
looks  to  the  success  of  our  arms,  in  this  life-struggle  for 
our  independence,  when  we  aim  not  only  to  maintain 
life  in  this  Mihtary  School  of  Virginia,  but  to  impart 
to  it  all  the  vigor  and  efficiency  which  the  circmnstances 
of  the  times  and  of  the  country  may  allow,  that  educated 
officers  may  be  provided  for  our  armies.  We  know  no 
more  effectual  wa}^  of  repairing  the  exhaustions  of  the 
battlefield.     Already,  more  than  one  hundred   (nearer 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  403 

two  hundred  and  fifty)  of  the  most  gifted  Alumni  of 
this  school  have  fallen  in  battle,  and  some  three  hun- 
dred more  have  been  wounded  or  disabled,  making 
about  one-half  of  those  who  had  been  in  commission. 
Every  battle  swells  this  number;  and,  unless  the  views 
I  have  been  presenting  are  delusions,  it  will  be  im- 
possible to  maintain  and  preserve  that  discipline  and 
drill  which  I  have  insisted  upon  as  essential  to  our  suc- 
cess, without  the  annual  additions  to  the  educated  mili- 
tary talent  of  the  country,  which  this  and  other  military 
schools  of  the  South  supply.  Improper  or  ill-advised 
legislation  may,  for  a  time,  keep  the  educated  cadet  out 
of  the  position  of  greatest  usefulness  to  the  country; 
but  all  here  trained,  if  true  to  themselves  and  to  the  insti- 
tution which  nurtures  them,  will  ultimately  rise  to  the 
positions  for  which  they  are  qualified. 

"To  this  great  and  paramount  reason  for  continuing 
the  operations  of  this  institution,  is  added  another — the 
felt  necessity  for  some  adequate  provision  for  the  gen- 
eral education  of  the  youth  of  our  country. 

"Schools  of  every  grade  have,  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent,  been  suspended  by  the  necessities  of  the  mili- 
tary service.  Young  men  above  the  age  of  seventeen 
are  brought  into  the  army  by  the  force  of  the  conscrip- 
tion; so  that  all  colleges  are,  for  the  most  part,  sus- 
pended, and  find  employment  only  in  the  disabled 
soldier,  or  the  grammar  school.  But  this  institution, 
by  virtue  of  its  peculiar  relations  to  the  State,  as  a  part 
of  its  military  organization,  and  still  more,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  material  advantages  resulting  to  the  Con- 
federate Government,  by  the  continued  operations  of 
so  important  an  establishment,  has  hitherto  been  en- 
abled to  protect  its  pupils  from  conscription;  and  it  is 
believed  when  the  reasons  for  so  doing  are  fully  under- 
stood— ^and  results  commensurate  with  public  expecta- 
tion are  fully  received — their  exemption  will  still 
continue  as  an  essential  element  in  the  public  defense. 
This  circumstance,  then,  gives  an  opportunity  for  a 
vigorous   prosecution   of  the   academic   studies   of  the 


404  The  Militaey  History  of 

institution,  and  imposes  upon  the  governing  authorities 
the  weighty  responsibihty  of  giving  effect  to  the  urgent 
demands  of  a  high  pubhc  duty. 

"For  these  two  great  purposes  then: 

"1.     To  educate  officers  for  service  in  our  Armies. 

"2.  To  impart  general  education  to  the  youth  of  our 
country  we  are  assembled  under  the  pecuHar  circum- 
stances which  surround  us  to-day.  We  have  now  our 
work  distinctly  before  us.  It  is  a  serious  work.  There 
is  no  child's  play  in  it.  It  is  a  work  which  will  tax 
every  energy  of  your  Professors  and  Officers,  and  it  is 
a  work  which  will  demand,  on  your  part,  every  effort 
that  assiduity,  self-denial,  and  resolution  can  call  into 
requisition.  I  desire  every  cadet  in  this  institution  to 
comprehend  and  appreciate  fully  and  distinctly  the  ob- 
jects before  him,  the  objects,  I  mean,  which  the  letter 
of  his  appointment,  and  the  order  calling  him  here,  con- 
template. Some  may  have  private  objects  in  view. 
Some  may  consider  this  a  good  place  to  frolic,  or  to 
spend  money,  or  to  have  fun.  Are  there  any  so  craven 
as  to  come  here  to  keep  out  of  the  army?  To  enter  a 
kind  of  place  establishment?  The  memories  of  New 
Market  and  the  Williamsburg  Road  forbid  this.  But, 
whatever  be  the  private  motive  which  draws  any  cadet 
to  this  Military  School,  unless  these  are  subordinated  to 
the  two  great  and  paramount  motives  which  I  have 
specified,  he  has  no  business  here,  and  as  soon  as  this 
fact  is  demonstrated,  he  will  have  the  opportunity  to 
withdraw.  That  cadet  who,  having  passed  the  age  of 
seventeen,  spends  his  time  in  idleness,  or  folly,  or 
mischief,  is — as  was  well  remarked  by  one  of  my  as- 
sociates on  a  former  occasion — a  skulker  from  military 
service,  and  this  is  no  place  for  him. 

"With  such  views  of  our  motives,  and  of  what  should 
be  yours,  you  will  be  prepared  to  know  that  all  of  our 
regulations  of  study  and  discipline  are  made  to  cor- 
respond with  these  general  ideas.  We  can  not  lose 
Saturdays.     Time  is  now  too  precious  for  that.     One 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  405 

day  saved  to  study  in  each  week,  after  so  long  a  suspen- 
sion, will  gain  a  month  in  a  session.  No  general  suspen- 
sion from  duties  or  absences  from  the  institution  can 
be  allowed.  Reasons  which  respect  the  morals  of  the 
young  might  be  given,  but  the  paramount  duty  of  being 
at  all  times  ready,  and  at  our  posts,  for  any  call  of  the 
country,  makes  it  necessary  that  absences  should  be 
restricted  to  a  daily  detail  of  a  hmited  number. 

"And,  now,  in  conclusion,  if  our  work  be  earnest — be- 
cause we  live  in  a  time  of  anxiety  and  responsibility — 
how  important  is  it,  that  we  keep  ourselves  always 
ready;  not  merely  as  soldiers,  but  as  men,  as  rational 
and  immortal  men — men  who  have  to  give  an  account 
of  themselves  to  God;  who  live,  not  for  time  only,  but 
for  eternity.  Let  it  be  the  purpose  and  effort  of  every 
one  connected  with  this  institution,  to  live  as  soldiers  of 
a  Divine  Leader,  that  we  may  be  the  better  qualified 
for  the  duties  which  claim  our  service  here,  and  pre- 
pared for  the  inheritance  reserved  for  those  who  love 
God  and  keep  His  commandments — for  this  is  the  whole 
duty  of  man." 


40G  The  Military  History  of 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

1865 IN    THE    TRENCHES    AGAIN "SAUA^E    QUI     PEUT" 

The  Superintendent  had  warned  the  cadets  that 
httle  time  would  be  wasted  on  those  who  showed  no  de- 
sire to  profit  from  the  opportunities  afforded  them  by 
the  reopening  of  the  Institute.  He  was  true  to  his  word, 
and  ahnost  daily  some  of  the  triflers  were  "shipped." 

January  19th,  the  faculty  received  a  valuable  acces- 
sion in  the  person  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  John  W. 
Lyell,  Class  of  1859,  detailed  by  the  War  Department, 
while  recovering  from  the  loss  of  an  arm  in  battle.  He 
was  assigned  to  the  Department  of  French  and  Mathe- 
matics. 

"On  the  1st  of  January  the  cadets  reported  promptly 
for  duty;  and  academic  duties,  so-called,  were  begun. 
It  can  be  imagined  that  studies  were  pursued  under 
great  difficulties  in  the  Confederate  Capital,  at  a  time 
of  such  stress,  confusion  and  excitement.  But  we  did 
the  best  we  could,  and  were  ready  at  all  times  to  obey 
orders. 

"The  Ahnshouse  was  to  many  of  us  a  doleful  place. 
Shockoe  Hill  Cemetery  was  just  across  the  street  in 
front  of  us.  The  Jewish  Cemetery  to  our  left,  separated 
from  us  by  an  area  used  for  a  parade  ground,  the 
Colored  Cemetery  to  the  rear,  and  in  the  rear,  just 
outside  the  enclosure,  the  "Gallows,"  with  many  grue- 
some associations. 

"The  guard  duty  here  was  reduced  to  a  minimum,  as 
the  building  was  surrounded  by  a  high  wall  with  locked 
gates. 

"We  had  enough  to  eat,  our  fare  consisting  of  wheat 
or  corn  bread,  corn  beef  and  molasses,  served  in  tin 
plates  before  we  took  our  seats.    Our  knives  and  forks 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  407 

were  primitive,   and  these  we  carried  with  us   as  we 
marched  to  and  from  our  meals. 

"Our  life  was  not  altogether  monotonous.  The 
'Second  Street  Toughs'  were  constantly  gibing  the 
cadets  whenever  they  appeared,  and  so  insufferable  had 
this  become,  at  one  time,  that  a  collision  between  these 
rowdies  and  the  cadets  was  constantly  feared.  On  one 
occasion,  the  cadets  broke  out  of  Barracks  to  have  it 
out  with  these  offenders ;  but  our  vigilant  Commandant 
soon  had  us  securely  corralled  in  our  quarters."* 

January  11th,  1865,  in  tendering  the  Commandant's 
Report  of  the  field  service  of  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  dur- 
ing the  New  Market  and  Lynchburg  campaigns,  the 
Superintendent  appended  thereto  the  following  re- 
marks : 

"I  submit  also  a  list  of  the  casualties  among  the  Pro- 
fessors and  Assistant  Professors  of  the  Institution 
since  April  20,  1861,  which  presents  in  a  conspicuous 
light  the  part  borne  by  them  in  our  great  struggle." 

Killed 

1.  Lieut. -Gen.  T.  J.  Jackson,  Professor  of  Natural  and  Ex- 
perimental Philosophy,  battle  of  Chancellorsville. 

2.  Maj.-Gen.  R.  E.   Rodes,  Professor  of  Applied  Mechanics, 
battle  of  Winchester. 

3.  Capt.   W.   H.   Morgan.  Assistant  Professor  of  Languages, 
battle  of  Cedar  Mountain. 

4.  Lieut.   Llewellyn  Crittenden,  Assistant  Professor  of   Lan- 
guages, battle  of  Richmond. 

(Also  Private  R.  A.  Crawford,  Assistant  Professor,  died  of 
disease  in  Army.) 

Wounded 

1.  Brig.-Gen.     John     McCausland,     Assistant     Professor     of 
Mathematics,  battle  of  Monocacy. 

2.  Col.   Stapleton   Crutchfield,  Adjunct   Professor   of   ISfathe- 
matics,  battle  of  Chancellorsville.** 

3.  Lieut.-Col.  J.   D.  H.  Ross,  Assistant  Professor  of  Mathe- 
matics, battle  of  Cross  Keys. 

*Taken  from  an  article  which  appeared  in  the  V.  M.  I.  "Cadet."  by  Col. 
Francis  H.   Smith.  Jr.,  .Tan.   3,  1914. 

**Later  Isilled  at  Sailor's  Creek,  April,  1865. 


408  The  Military  History  of 

4.  Lieut. -Col.  Scott  Shipp,  Commandant  of  Cadets,  battle  of 
New  Market. 

5.  Maj.    M.    B.    Hardin,    Adjunct    Professor    of    Chemistry, 
battle  of  Fort  Harrison. 

6.  Maj.   W.   E.   Cutshaw,   Assistant   Commandant   of   Cadets, 
battle  of  Winchester. 

7.  Capt.    O.    C.    Henderson,    Assistant    Professor    of   French, 
battle  of  Cedar  Mountain. 

8.  Capt.  A.  G.  Hill,  Assistant  Professor  of  French,  battle  of 
New  Market. 

9.  Lieut.  C.  Y.  Steptoe,  Assistant  Professor  of  French,  battle 
of  Fredericksburg. 

10.  Lieut.-Col.  J.  W.  Massie,  Adjunct  Professor  of  Mathe- 
matics, permanently  disabled  by  exposure  at  Fort  Donelson. 

11.  Capt.  Frank  Preston,  Assistant  Professor  of  Latin,  lost  an 
arm  at  the  battle  of  Winchester. 

12.  Lieut.-Col.  J.  W.  Lyell,  Assistant  Professor  of  Mathe- 
matics, wounded  five  times  in  battle  and  retired  from  military 
service  in  consequence  of  the  loss  of  an  arm."* 

From  the  foregoing  statement,  it  is  seen  that  the 
officers  of  the  Institute  did  not  occupy  positions  on  the 
professorial  staff  which  removed  them  from  the  dangers 
of  battle.  What  a  noble  record  is  that  of  the  War 
Faculty ! 

Too  much  credit  can  not  be  accorded  these  valiant 
men  who  stood  ready,  at  all  times,  to  join  the  colors, 
and  actually  did  join  the  army  whenever  circumstances 
released  them  from  their  more  important  labors  at  the 
Institute.  Who  shall  know  how  much  of  disappoint- 
ment it  cost  them  to  surrender  their  desires  to  win 
glory  in  the  field,  when  ordered  back  to  the  Institute, 
from  time  to  time?  One  only  need  read,  as  the  author 
has  done,  the  insistent  applications  of  the  young  Com- 
mandant, Scott  Shipp,  placed  in  command  of  cadets 
some  of  whom  were  older  than  himself,  to  perceive  how 
ardently  he  longed  for  opportunities  to  distinguish  him- 
self in  the  field.  Every  time,  however,  he  was  over- 
borne by  the  appeals  of  older  men  like  the  Adjutant- 
General,  who  urged  upon  him,  again  and  again,  the 

♦Rebellion  Records,  Series  I,  Vol.  XXXVII,  Part  1,  pp.  88-89.  Col.  Lyell 
assigned  to  duty  by  S.  O.  No.  300,  A.  &  I.  G.  O.  Appointed  full  professor  of 
Mathematics  in  1872  and  served  till  .luly,  1889,  when  he  resigned. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  409 

view  that  he  could  render  the  Confederacy  no  higher 
service  than  in  the  office  he  filled  with  such  peculiar 
ability  and  distinction.  Twice  was  Scott  Shipp  elected- 
to  high  office  in  the  line,  each  time  to  be  persuaded, 
contrary  to  his  o^vn  desires,  to  surrender  his  commission 
and  return  to  the  Institute ;  twice  again  was  he  tendered 
high  office,  only  to  be  dissuaded  from  accepting  by  the 
appeals  of  his  friends,  in  the  interest  of  the  Institute. 
Once,  after  the  Covington  raid,  in  the  face  of  all  op- 
position, he  actually  tendered  his  resignation,  but,  due 
to  Generals  Smith  and  Richardson,  it  was  not  accepted 
by  the  Board  of  Visitors.  He  could  not  be  spared. 
And  so  he  remained  at  his  post,  in  a  sense,  a  victim  of 
his  own  efficiency. 

One  thing  is  certain.  The  Confederate  States  of 
America  was  called  upon  to  make  no  sacrifice  of 
valuable  officers  to  conduct  its  Military  School,  for  not 
one  of  them  but  served  on  nimierous  occasions  in  the 
field,  and  was  at  all  times  rendering  peculiarly  valuable 
service  to  the  country.  Small  wonder  that  the  faculty 
of  the  Institute  always  possessed  the  highest  respect  of 
the  cadets;  for,  unconsciously,  from  its  battle-scarred 
or  warworn  members,  youth,  however  vaporous,  how- 
ever contumacious,  drew  an  inspiration.  It  is  not  what 
men  teach  from  books;  it  is  not  their  pedagogy,  or 
mere  discourse,  however  learned  it  may  be;  but  the 
rectitude  of  their  lives,  their  genuineness,  their  beings 
shorn  of  all  sham,  in  short,  their  character,  that  wins 
and  retains  the  admiration  and  affection  of  youth.  Post- 
graduate degrees  and  fanciful  academic  embellishments 
are  as  worthless  in  a  faculty  set  over  young  men,  as  the 
preacher's  creed,  when  earnestness,  knowledge  of  hu- 
man nature,  and  character  are  lacking.  The  learned 
may  be  beguiled  or  misled  by  such  things,  but  youth, 
never.  Faculties  can  not  be  bought,  for  character  is 
never  found  on  the  market.  And,  so,  it  is  to-day  that 
the  cadets  of  long  ago  remember,  not  what  "Old  Spex," 
"Old  Tom,"  "Old  Bald,"  "Old  Gill,"  "Old  Jack,"  or 
"Old  Billy"  taught  them  out  of  text-books  in  those 


410  The  Military  History  of 

troublous  times,  but  the  most  trivial  incidents  in  their 
daily  relations  with  those  splendid  men. 
.    The  Corps  of  Cadets,  like  the  faculty,  was,  at  all 
times,  prepared  to  respond  to  any  call  that  might  be 
made  upon  it. 

January  29th,  Colonel  Andrew  W.  Evans,  First 
Maryland  Cavalry,  commanding  the  3d  Brigade, 
Cavalry  Division,  Army  of  the  James,  set  out  from 
Butler's  headquarters  with  35  officers  and  806  men  at 
daybreak,  and,  in  a  few  hours,  reached  Long  Bridge 
on  the  Chickahominy.  Upon  receiving  intelligence  of 
the  approach  of  this  raiding  column,  the  Corps  of 
Cadets  was  ordered  by  General  Ewell  to  be  held  in 
readiness  to  take  the  field.  But  Evans  found  the 
stream  unfordable;  and,  after  dispatching  Major 
Hamilton  with  a  battalion  of  the  First  N.  Y.  Mounted 
Rifles  to  Bottom's  Bridge,  the  whole  command  with- 
drew by  the  Haxall's  Landing  and  Shirley  roads.  When 
it  was  discovered  late  that  night  that  the  raiders  had 
retired,  the  following  communication  was  dispatched  to 
the  Commandant: 

"Hd.  Qr.  Dept.,  Richmond, 

"Jan.  31,  1865. 

"Sir — The  enemy's  raiding  party  having  retired,  tliere  is  no 
longer  occasion  to  keep  the  Corps  of  Cadets  in  readiness  for  active 
service. 

"The  absence  of  troops  from  the  lines  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  Richmond  makes  it  necessary,  in  case  of  a  sudden  emergency, 
that  troops  should  be  moved  promptly  to  the  point  exposed  to 
attack.  If  you  will  inform  me  how  long  it  would  take  to  get  the 
cadets  under  arms,  and  in  readiness  to  take  the  field,  I  could  time 
any  call  so  as  not  to  apply  until  the  last  emergency,  and  thus  avoid 
useless  interruptions. 

"I  enclose  the  telegram  just  received.  I  have  approved  a 
requisition  for  ammunition,  which  I  recommend  should  be  stored  in 
a  safe  place  for  future  use. 

"Very  resp'y, 

"R.  S.  Ewell, 

"Lt.-General. 
"Com'd'g  Officer, 

"Corps  of  Cadets."* 

•Original  in   handwriting  of   General   Ewell   in   General   Shipp's   possession. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  411 

February  27th,  Sheridan's  command  started  from 
Winchester,  and,  marching  via  Staunton,  routed  the 
remnant  of  Early's  force  at  Waynesboro,  on  March 
2d.  From  this  point,  Sheridan  proceeded  to  Charlottes- 
ville; from  Charlottesville  the  command  proceeded  in 
two  columns,  Sheridan  himself  with  Custer's  division 
tiu'ning  south  toward  Lynchburg,  while  Merritt  in  com- 
mand of  Devin's  division  was  ordered  to  Scottsville,  on 
the  James  River,  with  instructions  to  march  along  tlie 
canal  and  destroy  every  lock  as  far  as  New  Market. 

After  destroying  the  LjTichburg  Railroad  as  far  as 
Amherst  Courthouse,  Sheridan  and  Custer  moved 
across  the  country  and  joined  Merritt  at  New  Market. 
In  the  meantime,  Merritt  had  dispatched  the  First 
Michigan  Cavalry,  Colonel  Maxwell  conmianding, 
down  the  Rivanna  River  to  Palmyra,  and  thence  toward 
Colimibia. 

Learning  that  Fitz  Lee's  cavalry  and  a  portion  of 
Pickett's  division  were  threatening  him  from  Lynch- 
burg, Sheridan  now  determined  to  join  Grant  before 
Petersburg,  and  reached  Columbia  with  his  whole  com- 
mand on  the  10th;  while  General  Fitzhugh  with  his 
brigade  moved  on  ahead,  destroying  the  locks,  ware- 
houses, etc.,  along  the  canal  up  to  a  point  eight  miles 
east  of  Goochland  Courthouse.  Sheridan  now  de- 
termined to  strike  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad  with 
Custer's  division,  at  Frederick's  Hall,  and  witli 
Merritt's  at  Louisa  Courthouse,  injuring  this  road 
(which  was  still  intact  from  Gordonsville  to  Richmond) 
as  much  as  possible,  while  passing  northward  across  the 
Pamunkey. 

Fitzhugh's  march  on  the  11th  to  Goochland  Court- 
house was  opposed  by  about  50  men  of  the  Seventh 
South  Carolina  Cavalry,  which  were  of  course  able  to 
make  no  real  resistence,  although  they  engaged  the 
Federals  in  a  skirmish  at  the  Courthouse.  The  locks 
between  Columbia  and  Goochland  Courthouse  were 
partly  demolished,  15  canal  boats  loaded  with  commis- 
sary stores  destroyed;  and  the  prison  at  the  Courthouse 


412  The  Military  History  of 

burned.  Leaving  Goochland  at  6  p.  m.^  the  brigade  re- 
turned to  Cohimbia  that  night;  but  a  strong  scouting 
party  which  proceeded  to  within  16  miles  of  Richmond 
had  been  heralded  as  the  advance  of  Sheridan's  entire 
command.* 

The  authorities  in  Richmond,  who  had  not  forgotten 
how  nearly  Dahlgren's  raiders  had  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing the  city  in  February,  1864,  at  once  ordered  out  the 
Reserves  and  the  Corps  of  Cadets.  These  troops  were 
marched  rapidl}^  out  the  Westham  Road,  on  the 
morning  of  the  11th,  and  deployed  in  a  line  reaching 
from  the  locks  on  the  canal  near  the  old  Westham 
Arsenal  across  the  hills  on  the  north  bank  of  the  river, 
as  far  as  the  Westham  Road.  The  cadets  occupied  the 
extreme  left  on  the  canal,  the  post  of  greatest  danger, 
as  the  enemy  was  reported  moving  down  the  towpath. 
Their  position  was  oddly  enough  on  the  farm  of  the 
Adjutant- General  (William  H.  Richardson),  next  to 
the  present  property  of  Mr.  Cole  Scott,  of  Richmond. 
General  Richardson  no  doubt  had  something  to  do  with 
having  them  stationed  there,  as  he  knew  the  Corps  of 
Cadets  was  far  more  likely  to  repel  the  raiders  than  the 
lame  and  halt  departmental  clerks,  and  the  others  com- 
prising the  Reserves. 

Upon  arriving  in  position,  the  cadets  threw  up  hasty 
intrenchments  of  logs  and  fence  rails,  and  anxiously 
awaited  the  enemy ;  but,  upon  learning  that  troops  were 
in  position  guarding  the  approaches,  the  scouting  party 
turned  back  and  rejoined  Fitzhugh's  brigade. 

The  next  day  the  Corps  of  Cadets  returned  to  the 
Ahiishouse,  without  having  fired  a  shot.  Thus  ended 
their  eleventh  appearance  in  the  field. 

The  Confederacy  was  now  in  a  desperate  plight.  We 
can  not  here  undertake  to  discuss  the  condition  of  Lee's 
Army,  or  the  misfortunes  which  had  befallen  the  Con- 
federate forces  in  other  quarters.  But  as  Lee's  need  of 
men — not  officers  but  privates — grew  greater  and 
greater,  the  more  difficult  it  became  to  secure  them. 

*See  Sheridan's  and  Fitzhugh's  Reports,  Rebellion  Records,  Series  I,  Vol. 
XLVI,  Part  1,  pp.  474-499. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  413 

As  Sherman  cut  the  far  South  in  twain,  and  penetrated 
to  the  very  vitals  of  the  nation,  "a  subtle  enemy,  till 
then  well-nigh  unknown,  assailed  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia,  which  still  haughtily  held  its  front;  and  men, 
with  bated  breath  and  cheeks  flushing  through  their 
bronze,  whispered  the  dread  word,  'Desertion.' 

"The  historian,  far  removed  from  the  passions  of  the 
time,  may  coldly  measure  out  his  censure;  but  we, 
bound  to  these  men  by  countless  proud  traditions,  can 
only  cry  with  the  old  Hebrew  prophet,  'Alas,  my 
brother!'  and  remember  that  these  were  valiant  souls, 
too  sorely  tried. 

"From  the  cotton  lands  of  Georgia  and  the  rice  fields 
of  Carolina,  came,  borne  on  every  blast,  the  despair- 
ing cry  which  wives  and  little  ones  raised  to  wintry 
skies  lit  by  the  baleful  glare  of  burning  homes ;  and  the 
men  of  the  South  bethought  them  of  the  homesteads 
which  lay  straight  in  the  path  of  the  ruthless 
Conqueror."* 

In  the  winter  of  1864-65,  there  was  powder  in  plenty 
and  the  army  was  better  armed  than  ever  before.  In 
fact,  there  was  a  surplus  of  muskets,  for  men  were  lack- 
ing to  bear  those  on  hand. 

It  was  at  this  juncture  that  Colonel  John  Thomas 
Lewis  Preston,  while  acting  Superintendent  of  the 
Virginia  JNIilitary  Institute,  in  the  temporary  absence 
of  General  Smith,  offered  a  suggestion  to  the  Govern- 
ment, which,  had  it  been  made  and  acted  upon  before, 
might  have  saved  the  Confederacy. 

Let  us  read  this  letter: 

"Headquarters,  Virginia  Military  Institute, 

"February  17,  1865. 
"Hon.  J.  C.  Breckinridge, 
"Secretary  of  War. 

"Dear  Sir — The  present  state  of  the  country  justifies  any  one 
in  presenting  for  consideration  of  the  Government  well-meant 
suggestions,  even  if  they  should  appear  crude  to  those  who  are 
better  informed. 


♦Address  of   Captain  W.    Gordon   McCabe,   Sixth   Annual   Reunion,    A.    N.    V., 
Nov.   2,   1876. 


414  The  Military  History  or 

"The  tone  of  public  sentiment,  and  the  tenor  of  present  legis- 
lation, indicate  that  the  call  of  General  Lee  for  negro  troops  will 
be  responded  to. 

"I  suggest  that  the  maximum  number  allowed  to  be  raised  should 
be  half  a  million. 

"I  do  not  suppose  that  so  many  are  required,  or  could  be  ob- 
tained. But  to  place  the  maximum  at  this  figure  would,  I  believe, 
inspire  dread  in  the  minds  of  our  enemy,  who  exaggerates,  through 
ignorance,  our  power  in  this  particular ;  and  further,  to  call  for 
half  a  million  would,  by  the  effect  upon  the  minds  of  owners  and 
slaves,  facilitate  and  insure  the  raising  of  200.000. 

"The  second  suggestion  I  would  make  is,  that  in  the  event  of 
the  troops  being  raised,  you  might  command  the  services  of  the 
Corps  of  Cadets  with  their  officers  to  perform  the  work  of  organi- 
zation and  drilling  in  the  shortest  time,  and  with  the  greatest 
efficiency. 

"In  1861,  between  the  20th  of  April  and  20th  of  June,  the 
cadets  drilled  15,000*  men  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  and 
if  a  large  camp  of  instruction  were  established  at  Camp  Lee,  the 
same  work  could  be  done  for  all  negro  troops  that  would  be  sent 
there. 

"Allow  me  to  say  that  these  suggestions  are  the  result  of  con- 
versation among  some  of  the  officers  of  our  School,  and  the  last 
one  is  contained  in  a  letter  to  me  from  General  Smith,  our  Super- 
intendent who  is  now  absent  at  Lexington. 

"Very  respectfully.  General,  your  obedient  servant, 

"J.  T.  L.  Preston, 
"Acting  Superintendent,  Virginia  Military  Institute. "^"^ 

Had  the  war  continued  for  any  length  of  time,  there 
is  no  doubt  that  this  plan  would  have  been  adopted,  but 
when  presented,  neither  the  officers  of  the  Institute 
from  whom  the  suggestion  emanated,  nor  any  one  else, 
except  those  in  charge  of  the  government,  and  General 
Lee,  perceived  how  near  at  hand  was  the  end. 

On  the  29th,  Longstreet  telegraphed  Lee: 

"The  usual  force  is  in  our  front,  so  far  as  we  can 
learn.  Our  scouts  are  in  from  enemy's  line  this  morn- 
ing, and  report  affairs  as  usual.  If  Field's  division  is 
taken  away  from  this  side,  all  of  the  Locals  must  be 
put  in  his  place,  as  will  be  the  cadets.    When  you  call 

♦20,000 — See  Rebellion  Records. 

♦♦Rebellion  Records,  Series  IV,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  1093.  There  were  approximately 
200,000  negro   troops  in   the  Federal   Army. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  41.5 

for  him,  please  call  at  the  same  time  upon  the  Secretary 
of  War  for  the  Locals,  the  Governor  for  the  cadets  and 
General  Ewell  for  his  forces.  Shall  the  other  of  Gen- 
eral Pickett's  brigades  move  at  once?"* 

On  the  1st  of  April,  Longstreet  wrote  Ewell: 

"General  Lee  thinks  the  Twenty-fourth  Corps  is  on 
the  other  side  operating  against  our  right,  and  of  course 
wants  some  of  the  force  that  is  on  this  side  with  him. 
If  it  is  true  that  the  Twenty-Fourth  Corps  has  gone  to 
the  south-side,  Field's  division  should  go  there  also,  but 
our  lines  here  should  be  partially  occupied  at  least.  Can 
you,  by  turning  out  your  Battalion  of  Cadets,  muster 
1,500  men  and  occupy  our  huts  and  lines  on  the  Charles 
City  Road,  for  a  week  or  ten  days?"** 

Later,  the  same  day,  he  directed  Ewell  to  turn  out 
all  the  forces  at  his  command,  and  march  them  down 
the  Charles  City  Road  to  relieve  Field's  division  in  the 
outer  line  of  works,  directing  him  to  send  an  officer 
ahead  to  acquaint  himself  with  the  picket  line  which 
was  to  be  held  by  Field's  pickets,  until  they  were 
relieved.! 

At  this  time,  Ewell  had  in  Richmond  but  three  bat- 
talions of  convalescents,  in  addition  to  the  Corps  of 
Cadets:  but  these,  with  Kershaw's  division,  would  be 
the  only  troops  remaining  to  man  Longstreet's  works 
and  confront  Butler's  Army,  after  the  proposed  re- 
moval of  Field's  division.  The  order  for  the  cadets 
to  march  to  Longstreet's  rifle-pits,  along  the  outer  line, 
was  accordingly  given  by  the  Secretary  of  War. 

"On  the  night  of  April  1st,  1865,  it  was  apparent  to 
us  that  something  out  of  the  ordinary  was  to  take  place. 
Rockets  and  other  signals  were  seen,  and  a  general  air 
of  excitement  seemed  to  prevail.  At  Taps  many  of  us 
kept  our  clothes  on,  and  watched  from  the  windows,  ex- 
pecting orders  of  some  sort  calling  out  the  Corps.  We 
did  not  have  to  wait  long,  for  in  a  short  time  a  horse- 

*Rebellion  Records,  Series  I,  Part  III,  p.  1363. 

**Ibicl.,  p.   1376. 

tibid. ;    also  see  Ewell's  Report,  p.  1293. 


416  The  Military  History  of 

man  rode  rapidly  to  the  front  of  Barracks,  and  on  being 
challenged  by  the  sentinel,  asked  for  the  Superin- 
tendent ;  and  soon  we  learned,  from  the  somiding  of  the 
long  roll,  that  the  expected  order  had  been  received. 
We  were  quickly  in  ranks,  and  permission  was  given  to 
those  mider  age  to  fall  out,  if  they  desired  to  do  so.  It 
need  hardly  be  said,  none  availed  themselves  of  this 
privilege, 

"We  were  marched  through  the  streets  of  Richmond 
— not  knowing  our  destination — through  Rocketts,  a 
suburb  of  the  city,  destined,  as  we  afterwards  learned, 
for  Longstreet's  rifle-pits.  We  met  a  portion  of  Long- 
street's  Corps  on  our  march  that  night."* 

Just  after  sunrise,  the  two  brigades  which  Field  had 
left  on  picket  were  relieved  by  Lieutenant- Colonel 
Scott  Shipp  who  had  been  placed  by  Ewell  in  command 
of  this  section  of  the  outer  line.** 

"The  cadets  were  placed  in  the  rifle  pits  early  Sun- 
day morning,  April  2d.  We  were  separated  from  the 
enemy  by  a  heavy  body  of  pines.  Our  pickets,  and  those 
of  the  enemy,  were  in  speaking  distance. "f 

During  the  day,  the  cadets  remained  in  the  rifle-pits, 
expecting  to  be  attacked  at  any  moment,  and  "when  the 
tremendous  cheering  of  the  enemy  was  heard,  from  time 
to  time,  we  thought  our  time  had  come.  If  there  was 
anything  more  uncomfortable  than  this  waiting,  we  did 
not  care  to  experience  it." 

At  3:20  p.  M.,  Ewell  received  a  dispatch  from  Gen- 
eral Lee  stating  that  it  would  be  necessary  for  him  to 
abandon  the  lines  at  Petersburg,  that  night,  and  asking 
if  he  could  withdraw  from  Richmond.  Later,  he  re- 
ceived specific  orders  to  evacuate  the  city.| 

Late  in  the  afternoon,  Ewell  sent  out  a  squadron  of 
dismounted  cavalry  to  reheve  the  Corps  of  Cadets  which 
was  at  once  marched  under  orders  to  Richmond.    From 

♦Account  of  Col.  Francis  H.  Smith,  Jr.,  V.  M.  I.  "Cadet",  Jan.  3,  1914. 

**See  Ewell's   Report. 

iCol.  Smith. 

jRebellion  Records,  Ibid.,  p.  1380. 


H 


< 


The  Vieginia  Military  Institute  417 

daybreak  until  about  4  p.  m.^  the  cadets  were  the  only 
troops  on  their  portion  of  the  line,  between  the  enemy 
and  the  Confederate  Capital. 

The  Secretary  of  War,  who  had  ordered  it  to  be  re- 
lieved upon  learning  of  Lee's  plans,  now  directed  that 
the  Corps  of  Cadets  furnish  a  strong  guard  at  the  rail- 
road depot  for  the  stores  and  material  being  hastily 
loaded  for  transportation  to  Lynchburg.* 

"We  made  a  rapid  march,  and,  foot-sore,  and  hip- 
sore  from  our  heavy  cartridge  belts,  some  of  us  longed 
to  get  up  behind  Colonel  Shipp,  as  he  rode  along  at  our 
head,  mounted  on  his  noble  stallion,  Robin. 

"On  arriving  at  Richmond,  the  fathers  of  some  of  the 
Richmond  cadets  met  us  at  Rocketts;  and,  then,  we 
learned  for  the  first  time  the  cause  of  the  cheering,  dur- 
ing the  morning  in  the  enemy's  lines — Richmond  was 
being  evacuated!  We  were  then  marched  to  General 
Ewell's  headquarters  for  orders,  and  thence  to  the  Alms- 
house, where  we  were  disbanded  and  directed  to  es- 
cape the  best  way  we  could,  as  in  a  body  we  could  not 
reach  any  organized  Confederate  field  force."** 

Numbers  of  the  cadets,  however,  in  groups  under 
various  officers  of  the  Institute,  proceeded  to  the  canal 
where  such  Institute  property  as  it  was  desired  to  save 
was  loaded  on  freight  boats,  along  with  the  baggage  of 
the  cadets.  One  of  these  boats  which,  for  lack  of  an 
adequate  number  of  barges,  had  been  over-burdened, 
sank  in  the  canal.  But  there  was  no  time  to  waste,  and 
little  of  the  property  could  be  salvaged. 

Some  of  the  cadets  left  Richmond  by  these  boats,  or 
marched  in  groups  westward  along  the  tow-path  of  the 
canal,  dispersing  as  they  progressed  to  their  own  home, 
or  the  homes  of  friends,  in  the  James  River  country; 
while  many  of  them  continued  on  their  sorrowful  way 
to  join  Lee's,  or  Johnston's,  Army. 

♦Rebellion  Records,  Ibid.,  p.  1380. 
**Col.   Smith. 


27 


418  The  Military  History  of 

Tims,  at  Richmond,  Sunday  evening,  April  2,  1865, 
the  Corps  of  Cadets  terminated  its  service  in  the  Army 
of  tlie  Confederate  States  of  America,  having  begun 
it  there,  April  22,  1861,  four  years  before,  almost  to  the 
very  day.  One  might  say  that  the  Young  Guard  of 
Virginia  did  not  abandon  the  Capital  until  the  over- 
powering enemy  seized  it;  for,  at  dawn,  April  3d, 
Weitzel's  troops  entered  Richmond.  Among  the  cadets 
the  cry  was  Sauve  qui  ijeut!  But  the  West  Point  of 
the  Confederacy  was  still  alive,  though  its  embattled 
walls  had  fallen,  and  their  tenants  had  been  dispersed; 
for,  struggling  onward,  clinging  to  the  last  hope  of  the 
nation,  and  burning  with  a  resolve  to  perish,  if  need 
be,  with  honor  for  their  country,  were  the  cadets  of 
former  days,  leading  their  weary  men  to  Appomattox 
and  Goldsboro.  And  in  the  rear  of  that  army  which 
had  shrunken  to  8,000  souls,  the  fame  of  which  is  im- 
perishable and  unequalled,  rode  one  sent  forth  from 
Virginia's  School  of  Arms,  upon  whom  was  hung  the 
only  hope  of  Lee  himself,  as  he  led  the  wreck  of  his 
once  proud  army  into  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of 
Death. 

Great,  indeed,  had  the  service  of  Virginia's  military 
school  been,  in  the  struggle  of  the  Southern  people 
for  constitutional  liberty.  But,  when  her  sons  sur- 
rendered their  swords,  they  had  only  paid  their  tribute 
to  Mars.  It  was  in  the  dark  days  succeeding  that  sacri- 
ficial offering  that  their  work  was  seen  at  its  best;  for 
these  were  citizens,  as  well  as  soldiers,  and,  by  the 
traditions  of  their  military  prowess,  were  only  bound 
the  closer  in  the  subsequent  struggles  of  peace.  Then, 
was  the  full  significance  of  the  motto  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute  perceived — in  jmce  decus,  in  hello 
praesidium;  for,  out  of  the  ashes  of  the  empire  her 
sons  sought  with  their  swords  and  blood  to  found, 
sprang  an  exhalted  resolve  to  win  even  nobler  victories 
than  had  crowned  their  arms  in  war. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  419 

In  closing  this  imperfect  narrative  of  their  mihtary 
achievements  may  the  author  make  bold  to  inscribe  to 
their  memories  these  lines: 

Yon  mountain  chains  may  sink  to  plains, 

All  human  monuments  may  fail; 
The  memory  of  their  deeds  shall  live — 

Fame's  rubric  is  the  deathless  tale ! 
Age  after  age  may  come  and  go, 

Or  rule  the  world  an  unborn  foe, 
But  still  upon  the  altered  shore, 

Of  sea-cliffs  crumbled  into  sand. 
Some  unknown  race  in  pride  shall  trace 

The  story  of  that  youthful  band. 
Reck  not  of  time.     No  lapse  shall  see 
A  day — not  e'en  eternity — 
When  men  in  passing  shall  not  pause 
For  inspiration  from  their  cause. 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX 

PAGE 

A.  Roster  of  the  Cadet  Battalion,  May  11,  1864 425 

B.  The  V.  M,  I,  Confederate  Martyr-Roll 432 

C.  Assistant  Professors  and  Tactical  Staff,  1842-1863      462 

D.  Hearing    Before    the    Committee    on    Claims    U.    S. 

Senate,  Sixty-Third  Congress,  Second  Session,  On 
S.  544 — A  Bill  for  the  Relief  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute  of  Lexington,  Va 464 

E.  Confederate  Officers   from   the   Virginia   Military 

Institute 485 

F.  V.  M.  I.  Alumni  in  Foreign  Armies — Before  1861 .  .  .      487 

G.  V.  M.  I.  Alumni  in  Foreign  Armies — After  1865 492 

H.     Graduates  and  Eleves  in  the  Union  Army  During 

the  War 496 

I.       The  Institute's  Contribution  to  the  Mexican  War     513 

J.      V.  M.  I.  Alumni  in  the  Regular  Army  and  Navy  Be- 
fore 1861 550 

K.     Note  on  V.  M.  I.  Claim  for  Loss  of  Property  Suf- 
fered During  the  War  between  the  States.  .  .  .      562 


APPENDIX  A 

ROSTER  OF  THE  CADET  BATTALION,  MAY  11,  1864 

Field  and  Staff 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott  Shipp,  Commanding. 
*Colonel  R.  L.  Madison,  Surgeon. 

Captain  George  Ross,  Assistant  Surgeon. 
*Captain  J.  C.  Whitwell,  Commissary  and  Quartermaster. 
*Cadet  First  Lieutenant  Cary  Weston,  Adjutant. 
*Cadet  Second  Lieutenant  J.  W.  Wyatt,  Quartermaster. 

NON-COMMISSIONED    StAFF 

Cadet  Sergeant  J.  E.  Woodbridge,  Sergeant-Ma j or. 
*Cadet  Sergeant  O.  P.  Evans,  Color-Bearer. 
Cadet  Sergeant  G.  A.  Davenport,  Quartermaster  Sergeant. 

Musicians 

*J.  H.  Crocken,  Fife. 
*Richard  Staples,  Kettle  Drum. 
*Jacob  Marks,  Bass  Drum. 

COMPANY  A 

Henry  A.  Wise,  Senior  Tactical  Officer  and  Captain  Commanding. 

C.  H.  Minge,  Cadet  Captain. 
*W.  C.  Hardy,  Cadet  First  Lieutenant. 
*W.  A.  Morson,  Cadet  Second  Lieutenant. 

E.  M.  Ross,  Cadet  First  Sergeant. 
*W.  B.  Shaw,  Cadet  Second  Sergeant. 
*W.  T.  Duncan,  Cadet  Third  Sergeant. 
*J.  T.  Douglas,  Cadet  Fourth  Sergeant. 

Hunter  Wood,  Cadet  Fifth  Sergeant. 
*Lawrence  Royster,  Cadet  First  Corporal. 
*G.  K.  Macon,  Cadet  Second  Corporal. 
*R.  L.  Brockenbrough,  Cadet  Third  Corporal. 
*S.  F.  Atwill,  Cadet  Fourth  Corporal. 

♦Dead. 


426 


The  Military  History  of 


Privates 


*  Adams,  R.  A. 
*Allen,  Donald 

Anderson,  C.  J. 
*Ashley,  C.  G. 

Bagnall,  J.  S. 
*Binford.  R.  J. 

Bowen,  H.  C. 
*Buster,  W.  D. 
*Biitler,  W.  H. 
*Carmichael,  John 
*Cocke,  P.  St.  G. 
*Corling,  C.  T. 

Cousins,  R.  H. 
*Davis,  J.  A. 
*Garrett,  H.  W. 
*Goodykoontz,  A.  E. 

Harrison,  C.  H. 
*Hayes,  W.  C. 

Hiden,  P.  B. 

Hill,  J.  M. 

Howard,  J.  C. 

Hubard,  W.  J. 

James,  F.  W. 
*Larrick,  J.  S. 
*Lewis,  W.  L. 
*McVeigh,  Newton 


*Mallorv,  E.  S. 
*Mead,  H.  J. 

Mohler,  D.  G. 

Morgan,  P.  H. 
*Page,  F.  W. 
*Payne,  A.  S. 
*Pendleton,  R.  A. 

Raum,  G.  E. 
*Seaborn,  G.  A. 
*Skaggs,  S.   B. 
*Smith,  E.  H. 

Smith,  Jr.,  F.  L. 

Spiller,  George 

Spiller,  W.  H. 
*Temple,  P.  C. 

Thomson,  A.  P. 
*  Watson,  W.  P. 
*White,  T.  W. 

White,  W.  H. 

Wimbish,  L.  W. 
*Wingfield,  S.  G. 
*Wood,  H.  T. 
*Wood,  P.  S. 

Wood,  W.  M. 
*Woodruff,  Z.  T. 
*Yarbrough,  W.  T. 


COMPANY  B 


*Frank  Preston,  Tactical  Officer  and  Captain  Commanding. 
*Carlton  Shafer,  Cadet  Captain. 

G.  W.  Gretter,  Cadet  First  Lieutenant. 
*Levi  Welch,  Cadet  Second  Lieutenant. 
*A.  Pizzini,  Jr.,  Cadet  First  Sergeant. 

H.  W.  Garrow,  Cadet  Third**  Sergeant. 
*W.  M.  Patton,  Cadet  Fourth  Sergeant. 

T.  G.  Hayes,  Cadet  First  Corporal. 
*J.  B.  Jarratt,  Cadet  Second  Corporal. 
*Patrick  Henry,  Cadet  Third  Corporal. 

B.  W.  Barton,  Cadet  Fourth  Corporal. 


♦Dead. 

♦♦The  2d  Sergeant  of  this  Company  was  O.  P.  Evans,  who  was  the  Color- 
Bearer  at  New  Market  in  place  of  Color-Sergeant  W.  B.  Shaw,  absent  on 
Surgeon's  certificate. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute 


427 


Privates 


^Baj^ard,  N.  J. 

Bennett,  W.  G. 
*Bowen,  W.  B. 
*Bransford,  J.  F. 

Cabell,  R.  G. 

Carmichael,  W.  S. 
♦Christian,  E.  D. 

Clarkson,  J.  H. 
*Cocke,  J.  L. 
*Cocke,  W.  R.  C. 

Crank,  J.  T. 
*Cullen,  Simon 
*Darden,  J.  D. 
*Dillard,  J.  L. 

Faulkner,  C.  J. 

Garrett,  V.  F. 
*Gibson,  F.  G. 
*Grasty,  W.  C. 

Hankins,  M.  O. 
*Happer,  R.  W.  B. 
♦Harris,  W.  O. 
*Hartsfield,  A.   C. 

Hawks,  A.  W. 
*Havnes,  L.  C. 
♦Hundley,  C  B. 

Hupp,  R.  C. 
♦Jefferson,  T.  G. 

Johnson,  Porter 
♦Jones,  T.  W. 
♦Kemp,  Wyndham 

Lee,  G.  T. 
♦Leftwich,  A.  H. 


♦Lewis,  N.  C. 

McCorkle,  J.  W. 
♦McDowell,  W.  H. 

Mason,  S.  B. 
♦Patton,  J.  R. 
♦Penn,  J.  G. 
♦Perry,  W.  E.  S. 
♦Phillips,  S.  T. 

Powell,  J.  J.  A. 

Preston,  J.  B. 

Preston,  T.  W. 

Redwood,  W.  F. 
♦Richeson,  J.  D. 
♦Roane,  John 
♦Stacker,  Clay 
♦Stanard,  J.  B. 

Tabb,  John 
♦Tackett,  J.  F. 

Tardy,  A.  H. 

Taylor,  J.  E. 

Tunstall,  R.  B. 
♦Turner,  E.  L. 

Veitch,  Wilberforce 
♦Walker,  C.  P. 

Washington,  Lloyd 

Wesson,  C.  M. 

Wharton,  J.  E. 
♦^\Tiite,  J.  S. 

Whitehead,  H.  C. 
♦Wilson,  R.  G. 
♦Woodlief,  P.  W. 


COMPANY  C 

A.  Govan  Hill,  Tactical  Officer  and  Captain  Commanding. 
♦S.  S.  Shriver,  Cadet  Captain. 

T.  D.  Davis,  Cadet  First  Lieutenant. 
♦A.  Boggess,  Cadet  Second  Lieutenant. 
♦J.  A.  Stuart,  Cadet  First  Sergeant. 
♦L.  C.  Wise,  Cadet  Second  Sergeant. 
♦A.  F.  Redd,  Cadet  Third  Sergeant. 

W.  B.  Martin,  Cadet  Fourth  Sergeant. 
♦H.  H.  Dinwiddie,  Cadet  First  Corporal. 
♦J.  E.  Wood,  Cadet  Second  Corporal. 

J.  G.  James,  Cadet  Third  Corporal. 
♦R.  Ridley,  Cadet  Fourth  Corporal. 


•Dead. 


428 


The  Military  History  of 


Privates 


Adams,  S.  B. 
*Blankman,  J.  S. 
*Blundon,  R.  M. 

Booth.  S.  W. 

Buffington,  E.  S. 
*Chalmers,  W.  M. 
*Crawford,  W.  B. 
*Crichton,  J.  A. 

Davis,  A.  J. 
*Davis,  L.  S. 
*Dunn,  J.  R. 
*Early,  J.  C. 

Ezekiel,  M.  J. 

Fry,  H.  W. 
*Fulton,  C.  M. 

Goode,  H.  L. 
*Goodwin,  J.  H. 

Harrison,  W.  L. 

Jones,  W.  S. 
*Lamb,  W.  K. 
*Langhorne,  M.  D. 
*Lee,  R.  F. 

McGavock,  J.  W. 

Martin,  T.  S. 

Maury,  Reuben 
*Merritt,  J.  L. 

Minor,  J.  H. 
*Mitchell,  S.  T. 

Morson,  A.  A. 

Morson,  J.  B. 


*Noland,  N.  B. 

Overton,  A.  W. 
*Page,  P.  N. 
*Pendleton,  W.  W. 

Price,  F.  B. 

Randolph,  C.  C. 
*Read,  C.  H. 
*Ricketts,  L.  C. 

Roller,  P.  W. 

Rose,  G.  M. 
*Rutherford,  T.  M. 
*Shields,  J.  H. 

Shriver,  T.  H. 
*Slaughter,  W.  L. 

Smith,  C.  H. 

Smith,  W.  T. 

Tate,  C.  B. 

Taylor,  B.  D. 
*Taylor,  Carrington 
*Taylor,  W.  C. 
*Thompson,  K. 
*Tomes,  F.  J. 
*Toms,  A.  C. 
*Turner,  C.  W. 

Upshur,  J.  N, 
*Walker,  C.  D. 

Waller,  R.  E. 

Walton,  N.  T. 
♦Wheelwright,  J.  C. 
*Wilson,  D.  C.  B. 
(Afterwards  D.  C.  Barroud) 


COMPANY  D 

*Thomas  B.  Robinson,  Tactical  Officer  and  Captain  Commanding. 

B.  A.  Colonna,  Cadet  Captain. 

*J.  F.  Hanna,  Cadet  First  Lieutenant. 

F.  W.  Claybrook,  Cadet  Second  Lieutenant. 
*W.  H.  Cabell,  Cadet  First  Sergeant. 
*William  Nelson,  Cadet  Second  Sergeant. 
*J.  R.  Echols,  Cadet  Third  Sergeant. 

C.  M.  Etheredge,  Cadet  Fourth  Sergeant. 
O.  A.  Glazebrook,  Cadet  First  Corporal. 

*Alfred  Marshall,  Cadet  Second  Corporal. 
*John  S.  Wise,  Cadet  Third  Corporal. 
*J.  R.  Triplett,  Cadet  Fourth  Corporal. 

♦Dead. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute 


429 


Privates 


*Akers,  R.  C. 

Alexander,  W.  K. 

Arbuckle,  A.  A. 
*Barney,  W.  H. 

Baylor,  J.  B. 
*Beattie,  W.  F. 
*Berkeley,  Edmund 
*Brown,  J.  A. 
*Clark,  G.  B. 
*Clendinen,  T.  R. 

Cocke,  Preston 

Coleman,  J.  J. 
*Corbin,  J.  P. 
*Crenshaw,  S.  D. 
*Crews,  B.  S. 
*Croekett,  C.  G. 
*Crockett,  H.  S. 

Dickinson,  J.  I. 
*Dillard,  William 

Eubank,  W.  M. 
*Garnett,  G.  T. 

Gray,  J.  B. 
*Hamlin,  E.  L. 
*Hannah,  J.  S. 

Harvie,  J.  B. 

Harvie,  J.  S. 

Horsley,  John 
*Imboden,  J.  P. 
*Johnson,  F.  S. 
*Jones,  H.  J. 


*Kennedv,  W.  H. 
*Kinff,  D.  P. 

Kirk,  W.  M. 
*Knight,  E.  C. 

Lee,  F.  T. 

Letcher,  S.  H. 
*Locke,  R.  N. 
*Lowry,  T.  S. 

Lumsden,  W.  J. 

McClung,  T.  W. 
*Marks,  C.  H. 
*Marshall,  Martin 
*Moorman,  E.  S. 

Nalle,  G.  B.  W. 

Phelps,  T.  K. 
*Peirce,  D.  S. 
*Radford.  W.  N. 
*Reid,  J.  J. 
*Reveley,  G.  F. 

Sowers,  J.  F. 
*Stuart,  Jr.,  A.  H.  H. 
*Tunstall,  J.  L. 

Tutwiler,  E.  M. 

Venable,  W.  L. 
*Ward,  G.  W. 

Webb,  J.  S. 
*Wellford,  C.  E. 
*White,  R.  J. 

Witt,  J.  E. 

Wood,  M.  B. 


Casualties 


KILLED 


Cadet  W.  H.  Cabell,  Va.,  2d  Class,  1st  Sergeant,  D  Company. 
Cadet  C.  G.  Crockett,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  D  Company. 
Cadet  H.  J.  Jones,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  D  Company. 
Cadet  W.  H.  McDowell,  N.  C,  4th  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 
Cadet  J.  B.  Stanard,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 


MORTALLY    WOUNDED 


Cadet  S.  F.  Atwill,  Va.,  3d  Class,  Corporal,  A  Company. 
Cadet  T.  G.  Jeiferson,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 


•Dead. 


430  The  Military  History  of 

Cadet  L.  C.  Haynes,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  B  Company.* 
Cadet  J.  C.  Wheelwright,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  C  Company. 

WOUNDED 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott  Shipp,  Commanding  Battalion  of  Cadets. 
Captain  A.  G.  Hill,  Tactical  Officer,  Commanding  C  Company. 
Cadet  S.  S.  Shriver,  Va.,  1st  Class,  Cadet  Captain,  C  Company. 
Cadet  Andrew  Pizzini,  Jr.,  Va.,  2d  Class,  1st  Sergeant,  B  Company. 
Cadet  J.  A.  Stuart,  Va.,  2d  Class,  1st  Sergeant,  C  Company. 
Cadet  L.  C.  Wise,  Va.,  2d  Class,  Sergeant,  C  Company. 
Cadet  H.  W.  Garrow,  Ala.,  2d  Class,  Sergeant,  B  Company. 
Cadet  G.  K.  Macon,  Va.,  3d  Class,  Corporal,  A  Company. 
Cadet  J.  R.  Triplett,  Va.,  3d  Class,  Corporal,  D  Company. 
Cadet  J.  S.  Wise,  Va.,  3d  Class,  Corporal,  D  Company. 
Cadet  Edmund  Berklej^,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  D  Company. 
Cadet  J.  F.  Bransford,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 
Cadet  W.  D.  Buster,  Va.,  3d  Class,  Private,  A  Company. 
Cadet  E.  D.  Christian,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 
Cadet  Preston  Cocke,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  D  Company. 
Cadet  C.  T.  Corling,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  A  Company. 
Cadet  J.  D.  Darden,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 
Cadet  J.  I.  Dickinson,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  D  Company. 
Cadet  William  Dillard,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  D  Company. 
Cadet  G.  T.  Garnett,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  D  Company. 
Cadet  F.  G.  Gibson,  W.  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 
Cadet  J.  H.  Goodwin,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  C  Company. 
Cadet  W.  O.  Harris,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 
Cadet  C.  H.  Harrison,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  A  Company. 
Cadet  A.  C.  Hartsfield,  N.  C,  3d  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 
Cadet  J.  C.  Howard,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  A  Company. 
Cadet  J.  P.  Imboden,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  D  Company. 
Cadet  Porter  Johnson,  W.  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 
Cadet  W.  S.  Jones,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  C  Company. 
Cadet  Martin  Marshall,  Miss.,  4th  Class,  Private,  D  Company. 
Cadet  H.  J.  Mead,  Va.,  3d  Class.  Private.  A  Company. 
Cadet  J.  L.  Merritt,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  C  Company. 
Cadet  E.  S.  Moorman,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  D  Company. 
Cadet  R.  A.  Pendleton,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  A  Company. 
Cadet  S.  T.  Phillips,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 
Cadet  D.  S.  Peirce,  Va.,  3d  Class,  Private,  D  Company. 
Cadet  C.  C.  Randolph,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  C  Company. 
Cadet  C.  H.  Read,  Jr.,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  C  Company. 
Cadet  C.  H.  Smith,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  C  Company. 
Cadet  E.  H.  Smith,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  A  Company. 
Cadet  F.  L.  Smith,  Jr.,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  A  Company. 

*Died  of  wounds  one  month  after  the  battle. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  431 

Cadet  George  Spiller,  Va.,  3d  Class,  Private,  A  Company. 
Cadet  J.  N.  Upshur,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  C  Company. 
Cadet  C.  D.  Walker,  Va.,  4th  Class,  Private,  C  Company. 
Cadet  W.  P.  Watson,  N.  C,  4th  Class,  Private,  A  Company. 
Cadet  T.  W.  White,  Va.,  4th   Class,  Private,  D   Company. 
Cadet  H.  C.  Whitehead.  Va.,  3d  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 
Cadet  P.  W.  Woodlief,  Jr.,  La.,  4th  Class,  Private,  B  Company. 

Recapitulation 

Killed 5 

Mortally  wounded 4 

Wounded    48* 

57 

Estimated  strength  of  Battalion  at  New  Market- _   279 

Loss  in  battle 57 

Percentage    of   loss 20  P.  C. 

♦Some  of  these  were  crippled  for  life,  notably  Martin  Marsliall.  T.  W.  White, 
1.  G.  Gibson,  C.  C.  Randolpli.  and  C.  D.  Walker. 


432  The  Military  History  of 


APPENDIX  B 

THE  V.  M.  I.  CONFEDERATE  MARTYR-ROLL 

In  1875,  the  Rev.  Charles  D.  Walker  of  blessed  memory,  "First 
Honor"  graduate  of  the  Class  of  1869,  published  his  "Memorial — 
Virginia  Military  Institute."  It  is  a  monument  to  his  zeal  and 
devotion,  and  has  been  most  valuable;  but,  unfortunately,  it  is 
neither  complete  nor  accurate. 

When  this  work  was  begun,  Mr.  Walker  was  an  assistant  pro- 
fessor at  the  Institute,  and  it  was  finished  while  he  was  prosecuting 
his  theological  studies;  and  during  those  four  years  he  was  never 
able  to  give  his  entire  time  to  the  work,  having  other  important 
duties  to  claim  his  paramount  attention. 

It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  that  the  work  fails  to  include  all 
the  Alumni  of  the  Institute  who  gave  their  lives  for  Southern  In- 
dependence, nor  that  it  contains  many  errors.  It  is  cause  for  re- 
joicing, however,  that  we  have  at  last  a  roster  of  our  Sainted  Con- 
federate Dead  that  is  as  perfect  as  human  means  can  make  it. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  personal  histories  of  all  the  Sons  of  the 
Institute  from  its  founding  to  the  present  time,  our  Official  Histori- 
ographer has  given  his  undivided  time  to  the  important  work,  and  he 
has  thus  been  enabled  to  perfect  our  Necrology  during  the  great 
Confederate  War. 

Walker's  "Memorial"  contains  sketches  of  164  persons  supposed 
to  have  been  killed,  or  to  have  died  of  disease,  in  the  military  service 
of  the  Southern  Confederacy,  who  were  Alumni  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute.  From  this  number  must  be  deducted  one  who 
was  not  a  cadet,  and  two  who  did  not  die  during  the  War,  or  from 
the  eifects  of  the  War.  The  number  is  thus  reduced  to  161.  Eighty- 
eight  more  Alumni  have  been  discovered  who  were  killed,  or  who 
died  from  the  effects  of  the  military  service,  and  are  to  be  added  to 
this  number,  making  the  total  mortality  resulting  from  the  War, 
Two  Hundred  and  Forty-Nine  ! 

There  are  only  seventy  matriculates  from  1839  to  1865  whose 
war  record  is  still  unknown ;  and  when  these  records  are  all  in  hand, 
it  may  be  that  this  number  will  be  slightly  increased.  But,  as  it  is, 
we  have  a  Martyr-Roll  of  Two  Hundred  and  Forty-Nine  (249),  and 
it  is  given  here. 

Joseph  R.  Anderson, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  V.  M.  I., 

Official  Historiographer. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  433 

Virginia   Military   Institute   Alumni   Killed,   or   Died   in 
Service,  Confederate  States  of  America 

Abell,  William  McLeod,  from  Charlottesville,  Va.  Courier,  Co.  I, 
6th  Va.  Cavalry.  Died  September  26,  1864,  of  wound  received 
the  day  before. 

Adie,  Lewis  Benjamin,  from  Leesburg,  Va.  Private,  Mosby's 
Battalion.  Killed  about  middle  August,  1864,  near  Berry ville, 
Va. 

Alexander,  Thomas,  from  Northumberland  County,  Va.  1st 
Lieutenant,  Co.  C,  40th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  August  18,  1864, 
at  Petersburg,  while  leading  his  company. 

Allen,  James  Walkinshaw,  from  Bedford  County,  Va.  Colonel, 
2d  Va.  Infantry.     Killed  at  Gaines's  Mill,  June  27,  1862. 

Allen,  Robert  Clotworthy  (brother  of  the  above),  from  Salem, 
Va.  Colonel,  28th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Gettysburg,  July 
3,  1863. 

(A  third  brother,  Donald  Allen,  was  a  gallant  member  of  the  New 
Market  Battalion.) 

Anthony,  Robert  Irvine,  from  Alleghany  County,  Va.  Ord. 
Sergeant,  Carpenter's  Battery.  Died  of  wound  received  at 
Winchester,  four  days  afterwards,  September  13,  1864. 

Armistead,  John  Sinclair,  from  Elizabeth  City  County,  Va. 
Lieutenant,  C.  S.  Engineers.     Died  in  service,  April  3,  1862. 

Ashby,  James  Lewis,  from  Warren  County,  Va.  Private,  Co.  D,  6th 
Va.  Cavalry.     Killed  June   11,   1864,  at  Trevilians,  Va. 

Ashby,  John  William  (brother  of  the  above),  from  Warren 
County,  Va.  Private,  Co.  I,  12th  Va.  Cavalry.  Killed  two 
hours  before  the  Surrender  at  Appomattox. 

Ashby,  Richard  (younger  brother  of  General  Turner  Ashby),  from 
Fauquier  County,  Va.  Captain,  Co.  A,  7th  Va.  Cavalry. 
Killed  July  3,  1861,  near  Romney,  W.  Va. 

Atwill,  Samuel  Francis,  from  Westmoreland  County,  Va.  Cor- 
poral, Co.  A,  Corps  Cadets.  Killed  at  New  Market,  May  15, 
1864. 

Banks,  Thomas  William,  from  Gloucester  County,  Va.  Private, 
Co,  A,  35th  Va.  Infantry.  Died  in  prison,  about  June  20, 
1865,  of  brain  fever,  due  to  grief  over  the  downfall  of  the 
Confederacy. 

Barton,  Charles  Marshall  (one  of  five  brothers  in  the  C.  S.  A., 
three  of  whom  were  cadets),  from  Winchester,  Va.  1st  Lieu- 
tenant, Cutshaw's  Battery.  Killed  May  25,  1862,  at  Win- 
chester. 

Beasley,  Peter  "R",  from  Huntsville,  Ala.  1st  Lieutenant,  35th 
Alabama  Infantry.  Mortally  wounded  and  died  July  12,  1864, 
near  Marietta,  Ga. 


2S 


484)  The  Military  History  or 

Benbury,  Richard  B ,  from  Gatesville,  N.  C.     Private, 

N.  C.  Regiment.  Died  of  disease  contracted  in  the  military 
service,  September  — ,   1863. 

Bethea,  Theodore,  from  Montgomery,  Ala.  Lieutenant,  Co.  E, 
commanding  Lockhart's  Battalion,  Alabama  Volunteers.  Killed 
July  18,  1864,  in  fight  with  raiding  force,  on  Montgomery  & 
West  Point  R.  R.  (His  father's  four  sons  were  gallant 
soldiers;,  and  his  two  daughters  "knitted  socks.") 

Bibb,  Frank  Strother,  from  Charlottesville,  Va.  1st  Lieutenant, 
Carrington's  Battery.  Died  May  28,  1863,  from  wound  re- 
ceived at  Chancellorsville. 

Bishop,  Benj.  Franklin,  from  Surry  County,  Va.  Captain  on 
Staff  of  General  Wright.  Died  January  5,  1878,  from  the 
effects  of  military  service. 

Blakey,  John  W.,  from  Greene  County,  Va.  Private,  Captain 
Bass's  Company,  from  Richmond.  Died  in  hospital  at  Peters- 
burg, March  17,  186  i,  from  disease  contracted  in  the  military 
service. 

BoTTS.  Lawson,  from  Cliarles  Town,  W.  Va.  Colonel,  2d  Va.  In- 
fantry. Died  of  wounds  received  at  Second  Manassas,  on 
September  16,  1862.  (Appointed  by  the  Court  to  defend  John 
Brown,  at  Harper's  Ferry.) 

Bowe,  Nathaniel  Crenshaw,  from  Richmond.  Va.  Private, 
V.  M.  L  Corps  Cadets.  Died  August,  1865,  from  disease  con- 
tracted in  the  military  service. 

Bradley,  Randolph,  from  Missouri.  (Formerly  from  Page  County, 
Va.)  Captain,  11th  La.  Infantry.  Died  June  28.  1862.  from 
wound  received  the  day  before  in  battles  around  Richmond. 
(Promoted  captain  on  the  field,  at  Seven  Pines.) 

Bray,  William  Harvie,  from  Essex  County,  Va.  1st  Lieutenant, 
53d  Va.  Infantrv.     Killed  at  Gettvsburg,  Julv  3.  1863. 

Breckinridge,  James,  from  Botetourt  County,  Va.  Captain,  Co.  C, 
2d  Va.  Cavalry.     Killed  at  Five  Forks,  April  1,  1865. 

Breckinridge,  Peachy  Gilmer  (these  were  two  of  five  brothers  in 
the  C.  S.  A.,  four  of  whom  were  cadets),  from  Botetourt 
County,  Va.  Captain,  Co.  B,  2d  Va.  Cavalry.  Killed  May  24, 
1  864,  at  Kennon's  Landing,  Va. 

Brent,  Virginius  King,  from  Fauquier  County.  Va.  Private.  "Old 
Dominion  Rifles."  Co.  D,  from  Alexandria,  Va.  Wounded  at 
Frazier's  Farm,  and  died  from  effects  in   1868. 

Burgess,  Alex.  Armistead,  from  Rappahannock  County.  Va.  Pri- 
vate, 1st  Va.  Infantry.     Killed  May  31,  1862,  at  Seven  Pines. 

*BuRGWYN.  Henry  King,  Jr.,  from  Northampton  Countv,  N.  C. 
Colonel.  26th  N.  C.  Infantrv.  Killed  at  Gettvsburg!  July  1, 
1863. 


♦Colonel  Fox.  the  compiler  of  casualty  statistics  (on  both  sides)  of  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg,  states  that  the  percentage  of  loss  in  this  regiment  was 
the  greatest  known  in  any  battle  of  modern  times — something  like  87  to  89 
percentum.  The  regiment  carried  80(»  into  battle  on  .July  2d.  and  came  out 
with  216.  all  told,  unhurt,  and  after  the  third  dav's  battle,  it  had  onlv  eUihtii 
men  fit  for  duty.  "       "      ' 


The  Virginia  Militae.y  Institute  435 

Burke,  John  Waller,  from  Hanover  County,  Va.     Sergeant,  King 

William  Artillery.     Killed  at  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864. 
Burke,   Thomas   Mundie,  from   Essex   Count}',  Va.      Major,   55th 

Va.  Infantry.     Killed,  Frazier's  Farm,  June  30,  1862. 
Buster,  William   Dennis,   from   Charlotte   County,  Va.      Private, 

V.  M.  I.  Corps  Cadets.     Died  about  the  time  of  the  evacuation 

of  Richmond,  of  fever  contracted  in  the  trenches  around  Rich- 
mond, while  serving  with  the  Battalion  of  Cadets. 
Cabell,   William    Henry,   from   Richmond,   Va.      Ord.    Sergeant, 

Co.  D,  Corps  Cadets.     Killed  at  New  Market,  May  15,  1864. 
Callcote,  Alex.  Daniel  (this  name  has  been  variously  spelled,  but 

this  is  the  correct  spelling,  as  certified  by  himself),  from  Isle 

of  Wight  County,  Va.      Lieutenant-Colonel,  3d  Va.   Infantry. 

Killed  at  Gettysburg,  July  3,  1863. 
Carpenter,     Joseph     Hannah,     from     Alleghany     County,     Va. 

Captain,    Carpenter's    Battery.      Died    February    5,    1863,    of 

wound  received  at  Slaughter's  Mountain,  in  August,  1862. 
Carrington,    Abram    Cabell,    from    Charlotte    County,    Va.      1st 

Lieutenant,  Co.  D,  18th  Va.  Infantry.     Killed,  Malvern  Hill, 

June  30,  1862. 
Carter,  James  Pitman,  from  Frederick  County,  Va.     Private,  7th 

Va.  Cavalry.     Killed,  Spottsylvania  Courthouse,  May  5,  1864. 
Chenoweth,  Joseph  Hart,  from  Beverly,  W.  Va.     INIajor,  31st  Va. 

Infantry.     Killed,  June  9,  1862,  at  Port  Republic. 
Claiborne,    Thomas    Doddridge,    from    Pittsylvania    County,    Va. 

Lieutenant-Colonel,    7th    Confederate    Cavalry.      Wounded    at 

Petersburg,  and  died  December  29,  1864. 
Cherry,  Joseph  Blount,  from  Bertie  County,  N.  C.     Captain,  Co. 

F,  4th  N.  C.  Cavalry.     Wounded  near  Petersburg,  March  29th, 

and  died  four  days  afterwards,  April  2,  1865. 
Clopton,   Alfred   Willoi^ghby,    from    Richmond,  Va.      Adjutant, 

34th  N.  C.  Infantry.     Died  of  typhoid  fever  contracted  in  the 

military  service,  September  9,  1864. 
Colston,  Raleigh  Thomas,  from  Berkeley  County,  W.  Va.     Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel, 2d  Va.  Infantry.     Died  of  wound  received  near 

Mine  Run,  Va.,  November  27,  1863. 
Cowherd,   Charles    Scott,    from    Orange    County,    Va.      Private, 

"Gordonsville  Grays,"  13th  Va.  Infantry.     Died  of  camp  fever, 

January  3,  1862. 
Crawford,  Robert  Anderson,  from  Augusta  County,  Va.     Captain 

on    Staff    of    General    W.    L.    Jackson.      Wounded    at    Dump 

Mountain.     Died  at  McDowell,  April  26,  1864. 
Connor,  Alex.   Simonton,  from   Bladen   Springs,  Ala.      C.   S.   A. 

(command  vmknown).     Died  in  1869  from  disease  contracted  in 

the  Army. 
Crittenden,  Lewellyn,  from  Lancaster  County,  Va.     Lieutenant, 

Co.  E,  40th  Va.  Infantry.     Wounded  at  Frazier's  Farm.  June 

30,  1862,  and  died  the  following  Wednesday. 


436  The  Military  History  of 

Crockett,  Charles  Gay,  from  Wytheville,  Va.  Private,  Co.  B, 
Corps  Cadets.     Killed  at  New  Market,  May  16,  1864. 

Crump,  Charles  A ,  from  Powhatan  County,  Va.     Colonel,  16th 

Va.  Infantry.     Killed,  Gainesville,  August  30,  1862. 

Crutchfield,  Stapleton,  from  Spottsylvania  County,  Va.  Colonel 
and  Chief  of  Artillery,  2d  Corps,  Army  N.  Va.  Killed  April 
6,  1865,  at  Sailor's  Creek,  while  commanding  a  brigade. 

Curry,  Eugenia  Granville,  from  Augusta  County,  Va.  Sergeant 
and  Drillmaster,  52d  Va.  Infantry.  Died  November  6,  1861, 
of  typhoid  pneumonia  contracted  in  the  military  service. 

Dabney,  Basil  Gordon,  from  Albemarle  County,  Va.  Private, 
Thomson's  Horse  Artillery.  Wounded  near  Farmville,  April 
6,  1865,  and  died  same  day,  from  carelessness  of  surgeon  in 
amputating  leg. 

Dabney,  Edward  Moon,  from  Albemarle  County,  Va.  Captain, 
Co.  C,  52d  Va.  Infantry.  Mortally  wounded  at  Fredericks- 
burg, and  died  December  23,  1862,  ten  days  afterwards. 

Daniel,  William  Anderson,  from  Cumberland  County,  Va.  Pri- 
vate, C.  S.  Cavalry.  Died  of  pneumonia  in  the  military  service, 
April  5,  1863. 

Davidson,  Albert  (one  of  five  brothers  in  C.  S.  A.,  three  of  whom 
were  cadets,  and  three  of  whom  were  killed),  from  Lexington, 
Va.  1st  Lieut,  and  A.  A.-G.  Wounded  April  9th,  and  died 
May  6,  1865. 

Davis,  James  Lucius,  Jr.,  from  Henrico  County,  Va.  Private,  10th 
Va.  Cavalry  (commanded  by  his  father).  Killed  June  24, 
1864,  near  Samaria  Church,  Va. 

Davis,  Thomas  Bowker,  from  Lynchburg,  Va.  2d  Lieutenant,  Co. 
D,  2d  Va.  Cavalry.  Mortally  wounded  near  Fisher's  Hill,  and 
died  a  prisoner  at  Winchester,  October  20,  1864. 

Derby,  Rev.  Charles  A.,  from  Dinwiddie  County,  Va.  Colonel, 
44th  Ala.  Infantry.     Killed  at  Sharpsburg,  September  17,  1862. 

Dew,  Daniel  Boone,  from  King  and  Queen  County,  Va.  Private, 
9th  Va.  Cavalry.  Killed  in  June,  1863,  near  Middletown,  Va., 
before  he  reached  his  regiment  to  report  for  duty. 

Deyerle,  Madison  Pitzer  (an  older  brother  graduated  at  V.  M.  I., 
in  1842,  and  died  while  assistant  surgeon  in  U.  S.  Army,  in 
1853;  two  other  brothers  were  soldiers  in  the  C.  S.  A.),  from 
Roanoke  County,  Va.  Captain,  Co.  I,  28th  Va.  Infantry. 
Mortally  wounded  at  Williamsburg,  and  died  May  14,  1862. 

Dove,  Leslie  Chambliss,  from  Richmond,  Va.  Courier  on  Staff  of 
General  J.  R.  Chambliss.  Died  from  wound  July  12,  1863, 
near  Hagerstown,  Md. 

Dudley,  Thomas  Clifford,  from  King  and  Queen  County,  Va.  2d 
Lieutenant,  P.  A.,  C.  S.  A.  (on  recommendation  of  Major  Pel- 
ham  in  whose  battery  he  had  previously  served).  Wounded 
June  11,  1864,  at  Trevilians,  and  died  July  9,  1864. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  437 

Easley,  William  H.,  from  Halifax  County,  Va.  Captain,  Co.  C, 
3d  Va.  Cavalry.  Died  from  disease  contracted  in  the  Army, 
December  11,  1861. 

Eastham,  George  Lawson,  from  Rappahannock  County,  Va. 
Private,  6th  Va.  Cavalry.  Killed  at  Toms  Brook,  Va.,  October 
9,  1864. 

*Edmonds,  Edward  Claxton,  from  Fauquier  County,  Va.  Colonel, 
38th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Gettysburg,  July  3,  1863.  (One 
of  seven  colonels  who  fell  at  Gettysburg  who  had  been 
comrades  at  the  V.  M.  I.,  and  three  of  them  roommates.) 

Edmondson,  Howell  Chastain,  from  Halifax  County,  Va. 
Private,  1st  Richmond  Howitzers.  Died  June  24,  1864,  from 
typhoid  fever  contracted  in  the  service. 

**Ellis,  John  Thomas,  from  Amherst  County,  Va.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel,  19th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Gettysburg,  July  3, 
1863. 

Eppes,  Peter  Francisco,  from  Sussex  County,  Va.  C.  S.  A.  (com- 
mand not  known).  Died  in  hospital  after  the  War,  from  effects 
of  his  military  service. 

EviNS,  James  Selwyn,  from  Perry  County,  Ala.  Lieutenant,  4th 
Ala.  Infantry.     Died  in  the  military  service,  March  9,  1862. 

Fant,  Edward  Lewis,  from  Fauquier  County,  Va.  Lieutenant,  8th 
Va.  Infantry.     Killed  at  Gaines's  Mill,  June,  1862. 

Fletcher,  John,  from  Fauquier  County,  Va.  Captain,  Co.  A,  7th 
Va.  Cavalry.     Killed  at  Buckton  Station,  Va.,  May  23,  1862. 

Forbes,  James  Fitzgerald,  from  Spottsylvania  County,  Va. 
Captain  and  Q.  M.,  9th  Va.  Cavalry,  and  acting  as  Aide  to 
General  Jackson,  when  mortally  wounded  at  Chancellorsville. 
He  fell  about  the  same  time  General  Jackson  was  wounded. 
He  was  carried  to  the  home  of  Mr.  Melzi  Chancellor.  Soon 
afterwards,  a  Federal  officer  mortally  wounded  was  brought  in 
and  laid  on  the  floor.  At  this  extreme  moment,  illustrating  the 
keynote  of  his  whole  life,  he  requested  that  he  be  placed  on  the 
bed  by  his  side.     Shortly  afterwards,  both  died. 

Forbes,  William  Archibald,  from  Richmond,  Va.,  later  from 
Clarksville,  Tenn.  Colonel,  14th  Tenn.  Infantry.  Killed  at 
Second  Manassas  (having  been  previously  wounded  at 
Mechanicsville  and  Cold  Harbor). 

Ford,  Charles  Edward,  from  Fairfax  County,  Va.  1st  Lieutenant, 
Stuart  Horse  Artillery.  Killed  at  Hanover  C.  H.,  May  25, 
1864. 


*In  the  campaign  of  1863  Col.  Edmonds  commanded  his  brigade.  After 
the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  a  petition,  signed  by  every  officer  present  in  the 
brigade,  was  forwarded  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  asking  that  Colonel  Edmonds 
be  appointed  their  brigadier  as  soon  as  exchanged  (for  a  report  had  reached 
them  that  he  was  a  prisoner  of  War).  But  alas,  he  had  fallen  with  Armistead, 
his  Immortal  commander!  (Colonel  Edmond's  two  younger  brothers  were  also 
cadets,  and  one  of  them  was  Colonel  of  the  4th  Texas  Regiment  in  the  Spanish- 
American  War).  ,,  J      ^ 

**After  the  battle  of  Williamsburg,  his  division  commander,  Major-General 
Pickett,  always  spoke  of  him  as  "one  who  can  always  be  relied  upon." 


438  The  Military  History  of 

FowLKES,  EusEBius,  M.  D.,  from  Montgomery  County,  Va. 
Captain,  Co.  F,  11th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Seven  Pines, 
May  31,  1862. 

Frazer,  Philip  Fouke,  from  Lewisburg,  W.  Va.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel,  27th  V^a.  Infantry.  Killed  at  The  Wilderness,  May 
6,  1864. 

Gaines,  Lewis  Conner,  from  Culpeper  County,  Va.  Private,  9th 
Va.  Cavalry.  Mortally  vi^ounded  near  Ashland,  Va.,  and  died 
July  8,  1864. 

Galt,  William,  from  Fluvanna  County,  Va.  Adjutant,  52d  Va. 
Infantry.  Wounded  September  19th  at  Winchester,  and  died 
October  6,  1864.  (Standing  over  his  dead  body,  his  surgeon 
said,  "He  was  worth  to  the  Army  a  hundred  men.") 

Garland,  Samuel,  Jr.,  from  Lynchburg,  Va.  Brigadier-General 
in  D.  H.  Hill's  Division,  Army  N.  Virginia.  Killed  near 
Boonsboro,  Md.,  September  14,  1862.  His  last  words:  "I  am 
killed;  send  for  the  senior  colonel,  and  tell  him  to  take 
command." 

Garnett,  Thomas  Stuart,  ]\I.  D.,  from  W^estmoreland  County,  Va. 
Colonel,  48th  Va.  Infantry.  Mortally  wounded  at  Chancellors- 
ville  while  heroically  leading  the  2d  Brigade  of  the  "Stonewall 
Division,"  and  died  the  next  day.  His  sister  stated  that  his 
commission  as  brigadier-general  was  received  as  he  lay  dead, 
wrapped  in  the  Confederate  flag,  in  the  Capitol  at  Richmond. 
(He  had  previously  served  as  a  gallant  lieutenant  in  the  Mexi- 
can War.) 

Gay,  Charles  Wyndham.  from  Staunton,  Va.  Private,  Danville 
Artillery  (Capt.  Wooding).  Killed  at  Malvern  Hill,  July  1, 
1862. 

Gibbons,  Simeon  Beauford,  from  Page  County,  Va.  Colonel,  10th 
Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  McDowell.  May  8,  1862.  (Two 
younger  brothers,  both  V.  M.  I.  Alumni,  were  also  in  C.  S.  A.) 

GiBBS,  John  Tracy,  Jr.,  from  Lexington,  Va.  Corporal,  Rock- 
bridge Artillery.  Died  from  exposure  and  fatigue,  September 
6,  1864.     (Son  of  Capt.  John  T.  Gibbs,  Commissary,  V.  M.  I.) 

Gisiner,  John  Timothy  Dwight,  from  Rockbridge  County,  Va. 
Private,  V.  M.  I.  Corps  Cadets.  Died  from  disease  contracted 
in  the  McDowell  campaign. 

GooDE,  Edmund,  from  Bedford  County,  Va.  Colonel,  58th  Va. 
Infantry.  Died  from  exposure  to  the  rigors  of  a  winter's 
campaign  in  the  mountains  of  Virginia,  March,  1862. 

Grandy,  Patrick  Henry,  from  Norfolk,  Va.  1st  Lieutenant,  Co. 
D,  1st  N.  C.  Infantry.     Killed  at  Gaines's  Mill,  June  27,  1862. 

Grayson,  Richard  Osborne,  from  Loudoun  County,  Va.  Lieu- 
tenant, Co.  F,  8th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  Gaines's  Mill.  June 
27,  1862. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  439 

Green,  William  James,  from  Stafford  County,  Va.  (One  of  three 
brothers,  cadets  of  the  V.  M.  I.,  all  in  C.  S.  A.)  Lieutenant- 
Colonel,  47th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  June  27, 
1862.  (He  had  but  a  few  hours  before  expressed  a  hope  that 
he  might  fall  as  became  his  lineage.  He  received  two  balls, 
one  through  the  heart  and  the  other  through  the  stomach.) 

Grigg,  Francis  G ,  from  Greensville  County,  Va.     Private,  Co. 

H,  13th  Va.  Cavalry.  Died  March  8,  1865,  a  few  days  after 
returning  from  prison  at  Point  Lookout,  of  disease  contracted 
there. 

Grigg,  Wesley  Peyton,  from  Petersburg,  Va.  Sergeant,  Martin's 
Battery.  Died  October  15,  1875,  from  disease  contracted  in 
the  military  service. 

Haden,  Anselm  Henry,  from  Fincastle,  Va.  Lieutenant  (com- 
mand not  known).  Died  in  the  military  service,  September  29, 
1861. 

Haden,  Joel  Watkins  (brother  of  the  above),  from  Fincastle,  Va. 
Adjutant,  7th  Va.  Cavalry.  Died  of  wounds,  November  19, 
1864. 

Haigh,  Charles  Thomas,  from  Fayetteville,  N.  C.  Lieutenant, 
Co.  B,  37th  N.  C.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Spottsylvania  C.  H., 
May  12,  1864.  After  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  his  father  per- 
mitted him  to  resign  his  cadetship ;  and,  though  exempt  by  law, 
owing  to  his  youth  fulness,  he  thought  it  was  every  boy's  duty 
to  go  to  the  front.  He  said  to  his  cadet  comrades :  "Of  what 
use  will  an  education  be,  after  we  have  been  conquered.  Boys, 
we  must  all  join  the  Army;  our  country  needs  us.  For  my 
part,  I  can  not  stay  here  longer."  He  immediately  resigned, 
and  enlisted  as  a  private,  but  was  soon  promoted,  and,  in  less 
than  ten  months,  sealed  his  devotion  on  the  bloody  field  of 
Spottsylvania,  crying:  "Charge,  boys,  charge;  the  battery  is 
ours."  His  brigade  commander.  General  Lane,  in  geiieral 
orders,  said:  "Lieutenant  Haigh  was  among  the  foremost  in 
the  charge  upon  the  battery,  and  won  the  admiration  of  all 
who  saw  him." 

*Hairston,  John  Adams,  from  Henry  County,  Va.  Private,  24th 
Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  the  battle  of  Williamsburg,  ^lay  5, 
1862. 

**Halcomb,  Thomas  Henry,  from  Marengo  County,  Ala.  (For- 
merly of  Mecklenburg  County,  Va.)  Captain,  Co.  A,  11th  Ala. 
Infantry.     Killed  at  Frazier's  Farm,  June,  1862. 


♦Confederate  surgeons  left  with  the  wounded  reported  that  Generals 
McClellan  and  Hancock  said  this  regiment  and  the  .">th  North  Carolina  Infantry 
(both  of  Early's  Brigade)  deserved  to  have  the  word  •■immortal"  inscribed  on 
their  flags. 

**He  lost  the  index  finger  of  his  right  hand  in  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines; 
but,  nothing  daunted,  he  led  his  regiment  in  the  bloody  battle  of  Frazier's 
Farm,  thirty  days  afterwards,  and  fell  in  the  successful  assult  on  a  10  gun 
battery.  He  was  first  lieutenant  at  Seven  Pines  and  was  promoted  immediately 
afterwards. 


440  The  Military  History  of 

Hambrick,  Joseph  Adam,  from  Franklin  County,  Va.  Major,  24th 
Va.  Infantr}'.  Mortally  wounded  May  16th  at  Drewry's  Bluff, 
and  died  May  29,  1864. 

Hammet,  William  Richard  (aged  19),  from  Montgomery  Coimty, 
Va.  (One  of  three  cadet  brothers  who  were  gallant  Confed- 
erate officers.)  Captain,  Co.  I,  Colonel  Henry  Edmondson's 
Regiment  of  Infantry  from  Montgomery  County,  Va.  Died  in 
prison,  June  30,  1865. 

Hammond,  George  Newkirk,  from  Berkeley  County,  W.  Va. 
Captain,  Co.  B,  1st  Va.  Cavalry.  Died*  May  16,  1864,  of 
wound  received  near  Richmond. 

Hannah,  Joel  Morton,  from  Charlotte  County,  Va.  Private, 
V.  M.  I.  Corps  Cadets.  Died  April  17,  1865,  from  exposure 
in  the  trenches  around  Richmond,  while  serving  with  the 
Battalion  of  Cadets. 

Hardy,  Julian  Breedlove,  from  New  Orleans,  La.  2d  Lieutenant, 
Crescent  (La.)  Regiment  Infantry.  Killed  at  Murfreesboro, 
Tenn.,  January  20,  1862.  (A  younger  cadet  brother  survived 
the  War.) 

Harman,  Thomas  Lewis,  from  Staunton,  Va.  1st  Lieutenant, 
Staunton  (Va.)  Artillery.  Died  of  fever  in  the  military  service, 
September  15,  1861. 

Harrison,  Carter  Henry,  from  Cumberland  County,  Va.  Major, 
11th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  July  18, 
1861.  This  noble  Christian  soldier  wrote  a  few  days  before  he 
was  killed:  "I  desire  to  place  myself  entirely  at  the  disposal 
of  my  Heavenly  Father,  knowing  that  if  the  first  bullet  I  hear 
reaches  my  own  body,  or  if,  on  the  other  hand,  I  should  return 
home  without  seeing  the  flash  of  a  gun,  it  will  all  be  best  for 
me  in  time,  and  best  for  me  in  eternity."  And  two  days  later: 
"I  shall  put  my  sword,  etc.,  all  in  readiness  before  going  to 
bed,  and  commit  myself  and  all  my  dear  ones  to  the  care  of 
Him  'without  whom  not  a  sparrow  falleth  to  the  ground.'  " 
His  son  and  grandson  have  followed  him  at  the  V.  M.  I. 

Hart,   T Goodwin,    from   Warrenton,   Va.      Sergeant-Major, 

17th  Va.  Infantry.  Mortally  wounded  at  the  battle  of 
Drewry's  Bluff,  May  12-16,  1864,  and  died  two  weeks  later,  at 
Chimborazo  Hospital,  Richmond,  Va. 

Hartsfield,  Alva  Curtis,  from  Wake  County,  N.  C.  Private, 
Corps  Cadets.  Died  June  26,  1864.  He  fought  bravely  at 
New  Market,  and  afterwards  went  with  the  Corps  to  the 
vicinity  of  Richmond.  While  in  camp  there  he  was  taken  ill 
and  carried  to  a  hospital.  Evincing  a  great  desire  to  go  to  his 
home,  he  was  allowed  a  furlough.  He  attempted  to  walk  from 
Richmond  to  Petersburg,  and  fell  by  the  wayside  exhausted, 
and  remained  there  until  discovered  by  a  passer-by.  He  was 
carried  to  the  hospital  in  Petersburg,  and  tenderly  nursed,  but, 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  441 

after  lingering  for  several  days,  died  from  a  relapse  from 
measles. 

Haynes,  Luther  Gary,  from  Essex  County,  Va.  Private,  Corps 
Cadets.  Mortally  wounded  at  New  Market,  May  15,  1864, 
and  died  one  month  afterwards  at  St.  Charles  Hotel  Hospital, 
Richmond,  Va. 

Helm,  R Henry,  from  Fauquier  County,  Va.     Private,  Black 

Horse  Cavalry.  Wounded  at  Trevilians,  June  11,  1864,  and 
died  from  maltreatment  of  surgeon  in  delaying  the  amputation 
of  his  leg. 

Heth,  John,  from  Powhatan  County,  Va.  2d  Lieutenant,  1st  Va. 
(Irish)  Battalion  Infantry.  Mortally  wounded  at  battle  of 
Kernstown,  and  died  soon  afterwards. 

Hill,  John  Wesley,  from  Rappahannock  County,  Va.  Lieutenant 
(command  not  known).     Killed  at  Gettysburg. 

Hopkins,  Samuel  Coffman,  from  Rockingham  County,  Va.  Pri- 
vate, McNeill's  Rangers.  Died  just  after  returning  from 
prison,  March  31,  1864. 

Hunter,  Henry  Woodis,  from  Norfolk,  Va.  2d  Lieutenant,  C.  S. 
Ordnance.  Died  in  the  military  service,  January  15,  1862. 
His  commander.  Col.  Briscoe  G.  Baldwin,  said  in  his  official 
announcement  of  his  death:  "Lieut.  Hunter,  by  his  amiability, 
intelligence,  and  gentlemanly  deportment,  had  endeared  him- 
self to  very  person  connected  with  the  post.  He  was  a  most 
promising  young  officer.  I  have  lost  a  noble  comrade,  the 
service  a  gallant  soldier." 

Irvine,  Alexander  J ,  from  Bedford  County,  Va.     Corporal, 

Co.  G,  2d  Va.  Cavalry.     Killed  at  1st  Manassas,  July  21,  1861. 

*Jackson,  Alfred  Eugene,  from  Washington  County,  Tenn.  Ad- 
jutant, 29th  Tenn.  Infantry.  Died  from  disease  contracted  in 
the  military  service,  March  6,  1862. 

Jameson,    James    H ,    from    Culpeper    County,    Va.      Captain, 

Va.  Infantry.     Was  seriously  wounded  at  Drainsville, 

and  captured.  After  a  long  imprisonment  in  1863,  died  in 
Richmond,  in  1864,  on  his  way  home. 

**Jarrell,  Thomas  George,  from  Mercer  County,  W.  Va.  Lieu- 
tenant, Co.  B,  36th  Va.  Infantry.     Killed  June  5,  1864. 

*His  ancestors  both  paternal  and  maternal  held  conspicuous  positions  in 
the  Army  of  their  country,  I)oth  in  the  Revolution  and  in  the  War  of  1812.  In 
the  battle  of  Fishing  Creek,  Kentucky,  he  commanded  his  regiment,  having 
his   horse  killed  under  him. 

**Throughout  the  campaign  in  Northwestern  Virginia,  he  behaved  with 
distinguished  gallantry,  being  severely  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Fayetteville, 
but  remained  on  the  field  until  the  enemy  was  put  to  flight.  At  the  battle  of 
Piedmont,  on  the  5th  of  .June,  1864,  after  the  brave  General  Jones  was  killed, 
and  the  enemy  was  breaking  through  our  lines  in  all  directions,  Lieutenant 
Jarrell.  rallying  his  company,  covered  the  retreat  across  the  river.  This  little 
band,  by  their  determined  resistance,  checked  the  advance  of  the  enemy  until 
a  crossing  had  been  effected.  To  accomplish  this,  however,  most  of  the  com- 
pany were  captured,  or  killed,  among  the  latter.  Lieutenant  Jarrell,  shot  dead 
on  the  field.  He  fell  with  his  face  to  the  foe,  his  name  on  the  lips  of  many 
who  by  his  bravery  that  day  had  escaped  capture,  or  death,  themselves. 


442  The  Military  History  of 

Jefferson,  Monroe  Garland,  from  Amelia  County,  Va.  Private, 
Co.  B,  Corps  Cadets.     Killed  at  New  Market,  May  15,  1864. 

Johnston,  Peyton,  Jr.,  from  Richmond,  Va.  2d  Lieutenant,  Rich- 
mond Fayette  Artillery.  Killed  at  2d  Cold  Harbor,  June  12, 
186i.  (A  younger  brother  graduated  at  the  V.  M.  I.,  and  be- 
came a  very  distinguished  electrical  engineer,  and  built  the  first 
electric  railway  in  the  world,  at  Richmond,  Va.) 

*JoNES,  Edward  Pope,  M.  D.,  from  Middlesex  County,  Va.  Colonel 
of  Va.  Militia.  Captured  and  imprisoned  at  Fort  Delaware, 
and  while  a  prisoner  was  murdered  by  his  guard  in  1864. 

**JoNES,  Francis  Buckner,  from  Frederick  County,  Va.  Major, 
2d  Va.  Infantry.  Lost  a  leg  at  Cold  Harbor,  June  27,  1862, 
and  died  in  Richmond,  July  9,  1862. 

Jones,  Henry  Jenner,  from  King  William  County,  Va.  Private, 
Co.  D,  Corps  Cadets.     Killed  at  New  Market,  May  15,  1864. 

Jones,  William  David,  from  Rockbridge  County,  Va.  Surgeon, 
C.  S.  A.     Died  in  service,  1862. 

JoRDON,  Harry  E ,  from  Richmond,  Va.   Private,  "Liberty  Hall 

Volunteers."  Later  transferred  to  a  North  Carolina  Regiment. 
Died  of  wounds  received  in  battle,  June  15,  1864. 

Keeling,  Robert  H ,  from  Richmond,  Va.     Captain,  13th  Ala. 

Infantry.  Killed  at  Seven  Pines,  May  31,  1862,  while  acting 
colonel. 

fKEiTER,  William,  from  Hampshire  County,  W.  Va.  Captain, 
Tenn.  Heavy  Artillery.  Killed  by  the  bursting  of  the  big  gun, 
"The  Lady  Polk,"  at  Fort  DeRussey,  near  Columbus,  Ky., 
November  8,  1861. 

*At  the  oi-gauization  of  one  of  the  first  companies  in  his  county,  Colonel 
Jones  had  become  a  member,  but  had  withdrawn,  and  was.  in  May,  1863.  still 
holding  his  commission  of  colonel  of  the  Middlesex  Militia.  At  that  time 
Kilpatrick  made  a  raid  through  the  county.  Col.  .Tones  endeavored  to  raise 
a  force  to  oppose  the  enemy,  but  could  get  together  in  the  hurry  only  about  30 
old  men  who  were  utterly  undisciplined  and  poorly  armed.  He.  therefore, 
abandoned  his  purpose,  and  went  to  a  neighbor's  residence  where  that  night 
he  was  captured  by  the  enemy  and  sent  to  .Johnson's  Island,  and  thence  to 
Fort  Delaware.  The  late  gallant  Lieutenant-Colonel  (Dr.)  William  S.  Christian 
of  the  ,5.5th  Virginia  Infantry,  was  a  fellow  prisoner  with  him  at  .Tolmson's 
Island  for  a  while,  before  his  own  removal  to  another  prison,  and  he  related 
the  following  account  of  his  murder,  as  given  by  Captain  Slielton,  an  eye- 
witness. Colonel  .Tones  was  very  lame  and  required  assistance  in  walking. 
Returning  from  the  "sinks"  with  the  aid  of  Captain  Shelton,  one  day  in  1864, 
the  sentinel  ordered  him  to  walk  faster.  "This  man  is  lame  and  can  not  walk 
faster."  said  Shelton.  The  sentinel  then  ordered  Shelton  to  "let  liim  go." 
adding,  "He  has  to  walk  faster,  or  he  will  not  walk  any  more."  and  tlien  com- 
manded Shelton  to  "step  aside,"  and  immediately  fired  at  .Tones,  some  yards 
away,  with  his  side  turned  toward  him.  The  ball  broke  his  arm  and  went 
through  his  body.  He  died  some  hours  afterward ;  and  it  was  said  this 
sentinel  was  promoted  first  sergeant  for  such  an  heroic  act  as  "killing  a 
rebel."  Colonel  Christian  said  he  knew  these  facts  to  be  true.  (See  "Rebellion 
Records.") 

**His  biographer  said  of  this  gallant  officer  and  godly  man. — "Duty  to  God 
and  man, — the  discharge  of  conscientious  Christian  dutv,  was  the  pole-star 
towards  which  all  his  efforts  tended,  and  on  which  the  whole  action  of  his 
life  was  based. 

He  suffered  and  died  with  the  self-abnegation  of  a  martyr,  and  the  un- 
flinching courage  and  calm  composure  of  a  Christian  hero  and  soldier." 

tVarious  accounts  by  eye-witnesses  have  been  given  of  this  incident,  but 
these  seem  to  be  the  facts :  The  big  gun  was  an  8-ton  rifled  Columbia  and 
carried  a  projectile    (cone-shaped)    that   weighed   128  pounds.      It  had   first   been 


The  Vibginia  Military  Institute  443 

Kent,  James  Randal,  Jr.,  from  Pulaski  County,  Va.  2d  Lieu- 
tenant, Co.  E,  24th  Va;  Infantry.  Died  near  Fairfax  Station, 
Va.,  September  4,  1861,  from  disease  contracted  in  the  military 
service. 

KiNCHELOE,  James  Macon,  from  Fauquier  County,  Va.  Adjutant, 
17th  Tenn.  Infantry.  Died  of  disease  August  26,  1861.  Liv- 
ing in  Tennessee  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  War.  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  Governor  drillmaster,  with  the  rank  of  major; 
but  desirous  of  reaching  his  native  state,  he  finally  attached 
himself  to  the  17th  Tennessee  Infantry  Regiment,  as  adjutant, 
this  regiment  being  then  under  marching  orders  to  join  the 
Army  in  Virginia,  at  Manassas.  Overtaken  by  disease  at 
Bristol,  he  died  on  the  26th  of  August,  1861.  The  officers  of  the 
regiment  met  September  17,  1861,  and  passed  resolutions  most 
complimentary  to  their  late  associate,  testifying  to  his  "natural 
genius,  scientific  attainments,  and  personal  excellencies,"  and 
his  preeminent  qualifications  as  a  tactician  and  a  soldier. 

Kinney,  Thomas  Colston,  from  Staunton,  Va.  Lieutenant,  Staff 
of  General  EdAvard  Johnson.  Died  at  Staunton  on  July  28, 
1863,  of  typhoid  fever. 

His  first  assignment  was  as  lieutenant  of  artillery  in  the  com- 
mand of  General  Wise  in  Northwestern  Virginia,  and  at 
Roanoke  Island.  In  the  disastrous  fight  at  the  latter  place, 
after  firing  the  last  round  of  ammunition  from  his  howitzer, 
on  the  flank  of  the  sea-coast  batteries,  he  fell  from  the  effects 
of  the  concussion  of  a  shell,  and  was  taken  prisoner.  After  his 
exchange,  he  served  as  lieutenant  of  engineers  until  the  fall  of 
his  great  Chief  at  Chancellorsville,  when  he  was  transferred  to 
the  Staff  of  General  Edward  Johnson,  and  bore  up  under  im- 
paired health  until  the  return  of  the  Army  from  Pennsylvania 
to  his  native  soil,  when  he  was  stricken  down  by  disease  and 
brought  home  to  die. 

fli-ed  (with  great  effect)  the  day  before  (Xov.  7.  1861),  at  the  battle  of  Belmont. 
The  gun  was  mounted  on  a  high  bluff  at  Fort  DeRussey.  overlooking  the 
Mississippi  River  and  the  field  of  Belmont  opposite.  The  day  after  the  battle 
of  Belmont,  in  the  forenoon.  General  Polk  came  to  the  works  on  a  tour  of 
inspection  and  sent  for  Captain  Keiter  of  the  Heavy  Artillery,  who  had  had 
command  of  this  gun  the  day  before.  The  General  complimented  him  and  his 
men  on  the  skill  and  efficiency  with  which  they  handled  the  gun  in  the  previous 
day's  engagement,  in  a  very  handsome  manner,  which  gratified  the  captain 
very  much.  It  was  learned'  that  the  gun  had  been  left  loaded,  and  Captain 
Keiter  suggested  that  it  be  discharged.  To  this  General  Polk  acquiesced. 
Thereupon  the  captain  ordered  up  the  "firing  squad."  There  was  nothing 
(several  witnesses  declare)  said  about  anything  being  wrong  with  the  pro- 
jectiles, or  suggesting  danger,  else  General  Polk  would  not  have  risked  the 
lives  of  those  around  to  gratify  a  whim,  (yet  there  were  such  rumors  im- 
mediately after  the  accident).  When  the  gun  was  fired  by  Captain  Keiter 
it  hurst,  and  the  smaller  powder  magazine  under  the  parapet  blew  up.  Eleven 
were  killed,  ineluding  Captain  Keiter  and  his  whole  firing  squad,  besides 
Lieutenant  Snowden  of  the  Engineers,  and  Major  Ford  of  General  Polk's 
Staff,  and  the  General  himself  was  knocked  senseless ;  he  was  carried  to  his 
quarters  and  in  a  few  weeks  was  out  again,  but  he  was  never  a  well  man 
afterwards.  After  the  war,  Captain  Keiter's  old  company  had  his  remains 
brought  to  Shelbyville,  Tennessee,  and  erected  a  monument  over  his  grave 
in  the  Confederate  Cemetery  of  that  place. 


444  The  Military  History  of 

KiRBY,  Edmund,  from  Richmond,  Va.  Lieutenant-Colonel,  58th 
N.  C.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Chickamauga.  (Son  of  Major  Regi- 
nald Marvin  Kirby,  1st  Regiment  Artillery,  U.  S.  Army,  who 
died  in  the  servuce  of  his  country  during  the  Florida  War.  His 
paternal  grandfather  was  Colonel  Ephraim  Kirby,  of  the  Con- 
tinental Army,  who  served  with  gallantry  and  distinction 
throughout  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  was  one  of  the  original 
members  of  the  "Society  of  the  Cincinnati."  A  great  jurist,  he 
took  part  in  the  negotiations  for  the  purchase  of  Louisiana, 
and  was  afterwards  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court  of  that  state. 
His  mother  was  a  daughter  of  David  Barclay,  a  descendant  of 
the  family  of  John  Knox,  the  Reformer,  who  came  from  Scot- 
land, settled  in  Richmond,  Va.,  1806,  and  later  married  Ann 
Hooff  Gretter,  of  Alexandria,  Va.)  Edmund  Kirby  graduated 
at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  in  1861,  having  been  matricu- 
lated by  his  mother  who  after  her  husband's  death,  when 
Edmund  was  three  years  old,  returned  with  her  five  children 
to  her  father's  home  in  Richmond. 

After  serving  with  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  drilling  the 
volunteer  troops  at  Camp  Lee,  Richmond,  he  was  relieved  and 
attached  to  a  Tennessee  Regiment,  and  marched  with  it  to 
Harper's  Ferry;  but  a  severe  illness  compelled  his  return  to 
Richmond.  Upon  his  recovery,  he  joined  R.  Lindsay  Walker's 
Battery,  as  a  private,  and  was  soon  made  a  sergeant.  Soon 
the  whole  company  was  placed  under  his  instruction,  and  the 
efficiency  it  afterwards  displayed  in  action  justified  the  trust 
reposed  in  him. 

In  1863,  upon  the  application  of  Colonel  J.  B.  Palmerj  com- 
manding the  58th  North  Carolina  Infantry  and  5th  Battalion 
North  Carolina  Cavalry,  Kirby  was  transferred,  and  appointed 
adjutant  of  the  58th  regiment.  He  became  the  favorite  of  his 
regiment,  and,  on  the  resignation  of  its  lieutenant-colonel,  was 
almost  unanimously  elected  by  his  comrades  to  fill  the  vacancy. 
Before  his  commission  arrived,  but  some  time  after  he  had 
entered  upon  his  new  duties,  the  battle  of  Chickamauga 
occurred. 

Through  an  error  of  brigade  formation,  Kirby's  regiment 
reached  the  summit  of  the  hill  some  little  time  before  the  re- 
maider  of  the  brigade  came  under  fire.  His  regiment  was  thus 
subjected  to  a  severe  cross  fire,  under  which  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Kirby  fell,  pierced  by  five  balls,  with  the  words: 
"Drive  them,  boys,"  on  his  lips.  No  more  gallant  officer  fell 
in  that  bloody  conflict.  A  brother  had  fallen  earlier  in  the 
War,  and  the  remains  of  the  two  heroes  reposed  together  in 
the  family  burial-plot  in  old  Shockoe  Cemetery,  Richmond,  Va. 

KooNTZ,  Hugh  Ramsey  Thompson,  from  Shenandoah  County,  Va. 
Captain,   Co.   K,  7th  Va.   Cavalry.      Mortally   wounded  while 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  445 

commanding  his  regiment  in  pursuit  of  Sheridan   (a  few  miles 
from  his  home),  and  died  the  next  day,  October  8,  1864. 

Lackland,  Francis,  from  Charles  Town,  W.  Va.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel,  2d  Va.  Infantry.  Died  September  4,  1861,  from 
disease  contracted  in  the  military  service.  At  the  first  battle 
of  Manassas  his  conduct  was  marked  by  such  coolness  and 
gallantry  that  he  was  mentioned  by  name  by  General  Johnston 
in  his  official  report  of  the  battle.  The  Spirit  of  Jefferson,  the 
leading  paper  of  his  section,  on  the  morning  after  his  death, 
said:  "He  entered  the  service  as  a  lieutenant-colonel,  in  deli- 
cate health,  yet,  neither  the  advantage  of  position  nor  the 
entreat}'  of  friends  could  prevent  him  from  sharing  alike  with 
all  his  comrades  in  arms  the  exposure  of  camp,  the  fatigue  of 
the  drill,  and,  of  all  else,  that  which  was  most  dear  to  his 
heart,  the  danger  and  peril  of  battle.  The  bloody  record  of 
Manassas  bears  evidence  of  his  undaunted  courage,  scientific 
skill,  ardent  and  patriotic  devotion  to  his  native  State.  There 
was  no  post  of  danger  that  he  did  not  covet,  that  honor  might 
be  won  by  his  regiment  and  victory  for  the  day." 

Langhorne,  Jacob  Kent,  from  Christiansburg,  Va.  Private,  2d 
Va.  Cavalry.     Killed  near  Brandy  Station,  June  9,  1863. 

Latimer,  Joseph  White,  from  Prince  William  County,  Va.  Major, 
Andrews'  Battalion  of  Artillery.  Wounded  July  2d,  at  Gettys- 
burg, losing  his  right  arm;    died  August  1,  1863. 

He  was  called  the  "Boy  Major,"  though  he  was  really  a 
lieutenant-colonel  when  he  died.  He  was  a  most  brilliant 
young  officer.  The  immortal  Jackson,  his  old  preceptor  at  the 
V.  M.  I.,  thus  spoke  of  him  when  he  was  a  lieutenant  under 
his  command:  "This  young  officer  was  conspicuous  for  the 
coolness,  judgment,  and  skill  with  which  he  managed  his 
battery,  fully  supporting  the  opinion  I  had  formed  of  his  high 
merit."  Many  such  compliments  did  he  receive  from  officers 
of  high  rank.  General  Ewell  called  him  his  "little  Napoleon." 
Major  A.  R.  Courtney  who  was  lieutenant  of  the  "Hampden 
Artillery"  which  Latimer  drilled  at  the  Camp  of  Instruction 
in  Richmond,  in  June,  1861,  has  written  very  feelingly  of  him, 
in  "The  Virginia  Military  Institute  Memorial." 

"^Vhile  on  drill,"  Major  Courtney  said,  "we  paid  him  the 
utmost  respect,  both  men  and  officers  yielding  prompt 
obedience  to  ever}'  order,  and  off  drill  we  fondled  and  caressed 
him  as  if  he  were  a  child.  He  was  the  'officers'  pet,'  and  we 
always  spoke  of  him  as  'our  little  Latimer.'  "  (He  was  then 
about  18  years  old,  small  but  dapper,  and  a  superb  cadet  officer 
and  most  efficient  drillmaster.) 

Major  Courtney  said  those  under  his  command  all  loved  him, 
and  never  was  one  heard  to  speak  of  him  in  any  but  terms  of 
the  highest  praise. 


446  The  Military  History  or 

When  wounded  liis  horse  was  killed  and  fell  on  him. 
Captain  Dement  of  the  same  battalion,  who  was  with  him  on 
the  field  of  Gettysburg,  and  assisted  in  removing  him  from 
the  field,  said:  "His  bearing  during  the  day  was  most  gallant, 
showing  the  greatest  coolness  and  bravery  under  the  most  try- 
ing circumstances,"  and  that  while  he  was  under  his  horse  he 
continued  to  give  orders  and  seemed  to  think  only  of  his  com- 
mand, undismayed  by  the  King  of  Terrors — an  artillery  officer, 
not  yet  twenty  years  of  age,  whose  equal  could  scarcely  be 
found  in  the  Armies  of  the  Confederacy.  Asked  by  his  brother. 
Dr.  Latimer,  if  he  was  afraid  to  die,  he  answered:  "No,  for 
mj'  trust  is  in  God." 

His  remains  found  sepulture  in  the  Cemetery  at  Harrison- 
burg, Va.,  where  a  fitting  monument  will  soon  be  erected  to  his 
memory. 

Lauck,  Charles  Edward,  M.  D.,  from  Winchester  (later  Rock- 
bridge County),  Va..  2d  Lieutenant,  -1th  Va.  Infantry.  Died 
of  typhoid  fever  in  the  military  service,  August  7,  1862. 

Lawrence,  Walter  Allen,  from  Nansemond  County,  ^''a.  Private, 
Co.  F,  9th  Va.  Infantry.  Died  at  Banner  Hospital,  Richmond, 
Va.,  October  28,  1862,  of  disease  contracted  in  the  military 
service.  (He  was  exempt  from  military  service  on  account  of 
lameness  from  childliood,  but  he  insisted  on  enlisting.) 

Lawson,  John,  from  Richmond,  Va.  Major,  59th  Va.  Infantry. 
Wounded  in  the  head  at  Five  Forks,  and  died  from  the  effects 
in  1870. 

Lee,  Nathaniel  Ware,  from  Greenville,  Miss.  Private,  Co.  D, 
28th  Mississippi  Cavalry.     Died  from  wound,  June  17,  1863. 

Lee,  William  Fitzhugh,  from  Fairfax.  County,  Va.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel,  33d  Va.  Infantry.  Mortally  wounded  at  First 
Manassas. 

After  graduating  in  1853  at  the  V.  M.  I.,  he  received  a 
commission  in  the  Army  as  second  lieutenant.  While  serving 
at  his  po.st  at  the  Arsenal  in  St.  Louis,  early  in  1861,  news 
came  of  the  stirring  events  transpiring  in  his  native  State.  He 
expressed  disapprobation  of  the  course  being  pursued  by  the 
Federal  Government  towards  the  South,  whereupon  he  was 
arrested  by  Captain  Lyons  (of  bloody  notoriety),  and  kept  a 
prisoner  until  court-martialed.  After  his  release,  sending  in 
his  resignation,  he  hurried  to  Virginia  to  offer  her  his  sword. 
He  was  first  appointed  captain  in  the  Confederate  Army  and 
was  ordered  to  duty  at  Harper's  Ferry.  While  engaged  in  the 
training  of  the  raw  recruits  of  the  recently  formed  Army,  he 
Avas  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  33d  Virginia 
Infantry.  On  the  field  of  First  Manassas  he  twice  captured 
Ricketts'  famous  Battery,  but  so  galling  was  the  fire  that  each 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  447 

time  it  was  lost.  The  third  time,  it  was  taken  and  kept;  but, 
ere  this  was  accomplished.  Colonel  Lee  fell  mortally  wounded. 
He  lingered  several  days  at  a  private  house  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  battlefield,  tenderly  nursed  by  his  wife  and  friends,  and 
visited  by  his  father's  friend,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Andrews,  a  fellow- 
clergyman  of  tlie  Episcopal  Church. 

He  was  perfectly  resigned  to  the  will  of  his  Heavenly 
■  Father,  yet  his  love  for  his  mother  made  him  call  often  for  her, 
sorrowing  for  the  crushing  blow  that  he  knew  was  so  soon  to 
fall  upon  her.  The  dying  blessing  of  his  good  father,  the 
Reverend  William  F.  Lee,  had  rested  upon  him  from  his  fifth 
yeai',  and,  all  through  his  fatherless  boyhood  and  matured  life, 
there  was  a  chivalry  in  his  devotion  to  his  widowed  mother 
that  made  him  ever  mindful  of  her  happiness.  "He  had  lived 
a  soldier  and  a  Christian ;  he  died,  proudly  vindicating  his 
title  to  the  former,  and,  through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  humbly 
trustful  that  he  was  the  latter." 

General  Jackson  spoke  of  his  gallantry  and  courage  in  tlie 
highest  terms,  and  expressed  to  Hunter  McGuire,  his  Medical 
Director,  the  most  profound  regret  at  his  loss. 

Leftwich,  James  Claytor,  from  Franklin  County,  Va.  Private, 
Co.  I.  2d  Va.  Cavalry.  Killed  while  a  prisoner  at  Kelly's  Ford, 
March  17,  1863. 

He  was  a  drillmaster  with  the  Corps  of  Cadets  in  Richmond 
from  April  to  the  early  part  of  June,  1861.  In  July,  he 
volunteered  in  Co.  B.  1  Ith  Va.  Infantry,  commanded  by  his 
brother,  Captain  Thomas  Leftwich.  He  later  joined  Co.  I. 
2d  Va.  Cavalry.  He  was  in  all  the  battles  around  Richmond 
from  the  26th  to  the  30th  of  June,  1862,  and  bore  a  con- 
spicuous part  in  all  tlie  battles  in  which  his  splendid  regiment 
was  engaged,  under  the  gallant  Munford  (V.  ]\I.  I.),  up  to  the 
time  of  the  battle  of  Kelly's  Ford,  17th  ]\Iarch.  1863,  where  his 
horse  was  shot  under  him.  and  he  was  captured.  Our  cavalry 
drove  the  enemy  back ;  but.  to  prevent  his  recapture,  or  escape 
rather,  they  shot  him  in  the  left  side,  the  ball  lodging  in  the 
spine.  His  wound  proved  fatal ;  lingering  in  excruciating 
agony  till  June  10th.  he  died  at  the  home  of  his  brother,  in 
Bedford  County,  Va. 

A  gallant  and  fearless  soldier,  ever  at  his  post,  always  in 
the  hottest  of  the  fight,  lie  received  his  deathblow  from  an 
unworthy  foe,  who  violated  every  law  of  humanity  and  civili- 
zation in  this  dastardly  act. 

Lewis.  Andrew  Donnelly,  from  Kanawha  County,  W.  Va. 
Captain,  "Crescent  Rifles,"  of  New  Orleans.  Wounded  at 
Shiloh,  he  died  just  before  (or  just  after)  the  War  ended,  of 
his  wound. 


448  The  Military  History  of 

Logan,  Richard,  Jr.,  from  Halifax  County,  Va.  Captain,  Co.  H, 
Uth  Va.  Infantry.  Killed,  Gettysburg,  July  3,  1863.  His 
company  was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  State  in  May, 
1861,  and  was  subsequently  transferred  to  the  service  of  the 
Confederate  States.  His  regiment  was  first  engaged  at  Seven 
Pines,  and  subsequently  with  distinction  in  the  bloody  battle 
of  Malvern  Hill,  Captain  Logan  being  in  command  of  the 
regiment  during  the  latter  part  of  that  battle. 

He  commanded  his  company  in  all  the  battles  fought  except 
Chancellorsville,  at  which  time  his  division  was  investing 
Suffolk, — until  the  day  of  his  death, — Second  Manassas, 
Sharpsburg,  Harper's  Ferry,  Fredericksburg,  Suffolk,  and, 
lastly,  Gettysburg.  He  led  his  company  in  the  celebrated 
charge  of  Pickett's  Division  on  the  ever-memorable  3d  of  July, 
1863;  and,  at  the  close  of  the  action,  after  having  aided  in 
capturing  the  enemy's  guns,  he  fell,  facing  the  enemy,  pierced 
by  a  ball  which  passed  entirely  through  his  body,  about  the 
region  of  the  heart.     He  died  without  uttering  a  word. 

Lyle,  Alexander,  from  Charlotte  County,  Va.  Private,  Mosby's 
Cavalry  Battalion.  Mortally  wounded  in  the  summer  of  1868, 
at  Warrenton  Junction. 

He  enlisted  before  he  had  reached  his  seventeenth  year.  He 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  by  whom  he  was  carried  to 
Alexandria,  where  he  died  in  a  hospital,  in  the  month  of  June 
of  that  year. 

Just  one  year  before,  his  gallant  brother,  Captain  Matthew 
Lyle,  fell  in  the  battle  of  Gaines's  Mill. 

Alexander  Lyle  was  attended  in  his  last  moments  by  a 
Federal  chaplain.  He  died  composedly  about  two  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon.  When  death  came,  he  met  it  with  fortitude  and 
resignation,  and  passed  away  without  visible  pain  or  struggle, 
receiving  the  last  offices  of  Christian  benevolence  at  the  hands 
of  those  with  whom  resentment  had  melted  into  admiring  pity. 
He  sleeps  side  by  side  with  his  Northern  adversaries,  and  when 
flesh  and  heart  were  failing,  received  this  unsolicited  and  un- 
looked-for tribute  from  the  stranger:  "A  brave  and  noble 
young  man !" 

Lynch,  David  Campbell,  from  Abingdon,  Va.  Private,  "Wash- 
ington Mounted  Riflemen."  Died  at  Orange  C.  H.,  Va.,  March 
3,  1863,  from  disease  contracted  in  the  military  service. 

Macon,  Edgar,  from  Orange  County,  Va.  2d  Lieutenant,  Thomas's 
Artillery.  Killed  at  First  Manassas,  July  21,  1861.  Lieu- 
tenant Macon,  after  having  borne  the  heat  and  burden  of  the 
day,  fell  a  victim  to  a  random  shot,  fired  after  the  battle  was 
over  and  the  enemy  were  retiring.  He  had  just  mounted  his 
horse,  preparatory  to  withdrawing  from  the  field,  when  he  was 
struck  by  a  shell  and  instantly  killed. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  449 

He  was  the  only  son  of  a  widowed  mother,  and  left  a  wife 
and  an  infant  son  born  three  days  before  his  death.  He  was  a 
great-nephew  of  President  Madison,  and  his  remains  repose 
in  the  Cemetery  at  Montpelier,  where  rest  his  ancestors  of 
many  generations. 

Macon,  Miles  Gary,  from  Hanover  County,  Va.  Captain,  Rich- 
mond "Fayette  Artillery."     Killed  April  8,  1865. 

From  the  beginning  to  the  end,  he  was  the  commander  of 
this  famous  battery.  He  passed  through  many  battles  un- 
touched, and  was  reserved  for  one  of  the  last  victims,  being 
killed  at  Appomattox  Courthouse,  the  day  before  the  surrender 
of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia. 

Madison,  John  Young  Stockdell,  from  Petersburg,  Va.  Private, 
Braxton's  Artillery.  Died  of  fever  soon  after  the  battle  of 
First  Manassas,  and  near  the  battlefield. 

Magruder,  John  Bowie,  from  Albemarle  County,  Va.  Colonel, 
57th  Va.  Infantry.     Killed  at  Gettysburg,  July  3,  1863. 

He  had  graduated  at  the  close  of  the  session  of  1859-60,  at 
the  University  of  Virginia,  with  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts, 
in  his  21st  year.  In  the  spring  of  1861,  he  matriculated  at  the 
V.  M.  I.,  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting  himself  in  military' 
science,  as  a  preparation  for  the  exigencies  of  the  War,  then 
imminent.  He  made  a  superb  officer,  rising  to  eminence  while 
still  very  young,  and  sealing  his  devotion  to  his  country  with 
his  life's  blood,  at  Gettysburg. 

Mallory,  Francis,  from  Hampton,  Va.  Colonel,  55th  Va.  Infan- 
try.    Killed  at  Chancellorsville,  May  2,  1863. 

He  graduated  in  1853.  Three  years  afterwards,  he  was  com- 
missioned second  lieutenant  in  the  Fourth  United  States  Infan- 
try. For  five  years  he  was  in  active  service  in  Oregon  and 
Washington  Territories,  and  received  his  first  experience  of 
warfare  on  the  slopes  of  the  Pacific.  Ambitious  of  glory,  daring 
and  resolute,  he  shrank  from  neither  danger  nor  difficulties,  but 
courted  adventure.  On  one  occasion,  he,  personally  and  alone, 
captured  an  Indian  chief,  and,  disarming  him,  brought  him  a 
prisoner  to  the  post.  On  April  2,  1861,  he  wrote  his  mother 
from   Fort   Cascades:     "  .     .      I   consider   it   as   much   my 

duty  to  side  with  my  State  against  all  enemies,  as  I  would  to 
defend  and  protect  you,  my  dear  mother,  from  the  whole  world, 
right  or  wrong.  Should  I  fall  in  the  defense  of  my  mother, 
or  my  State,  the  only  regret  would  be  that  I  had  not  a  hundred 
lives  to  offer,  instead  of  one."  "Such  a  sentiment  is  the  key 
of  the  whole  man,  since  he  who  could  feel  and  pen  it,  and  then 
die  in  its  support,  possessed  all  the  elements  of  true  manhood 
and  greatness !" 


29 


j,oO  The  Military  History  of 

Marable,  David  Adoniram  Judson,  from  Sussex  County,  Va. 
Private,  Co.  A,  41st  Va.  Infantry.  Wounded  in  Seven  Days' 
battles  around  Richmond,  while  carrying  his  regiment's  colors, 
and  died  in  Richmond, — 1862. 

Marh.  John  Quincv,  from  Warrenton,  Va.  Captain,  "Warrenton 
Rifles."  Killed  at  Fairfax  C.  H.,  Va.,  June  1,  1861.  "First 
blood  of  the  War." 

Commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  active  volunteer 
forces  of  Virginia  (commission  bearing  date  5th  of  May,  1861). 
Graduated  at  V.  M.  I.,  July  4,  1846,  "Second  Distinguished." 
Assistant  Professor,  V.  M.  I. ;  Presiding  Justice  of  Magis- 
trate's Court;  High  Sheriff  of  Fauquier  County;  Member 
Secession  Convention  of  Virginia. 

Marshall,  James  Keith,  from  Fauquier  County,  Va.  Colonel, 
52d  N.  C.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Gettysburg,  July  3,  1863, 
aged  24. 

He  commanded  Pettigrew's  Brigade  in  the  battle.  He  had 
passed  the  stone  fence  in  the  charge  on  Cemetery  Hill,  and, 
while  cheering  his  men,  received  two  balls  in  his  forehead 
Avhich  caused  his  instant  death. 

Matthews,  Walter  T ,  from  Richmond,  Va.  Private,  3d  Rich- 
mond Howitzers.  Killed  at  Fredericksburg,  December  13, 
1862. 

May,  Benj.  Harrison,  M.  D.,  from  Petersburg,  Va.  Color- 
Bearer,  12th  Va.  Infantry.  Mortally  wounded  at  Spottsyl- 
vania  C.  H.,  and  died  May  16,  1864.  He  behaved  with 
dauntless  courage,  all  witnesses  testify. 

McCance,  Robert  Gardner,  from  Richmond,  Va.  Private,  Otey 
Battery.  Killed  in  camp,  near  Petersburg,  Va.,  April  27, 
1862,  while  walking  from  his  tent  to  his  gun,  by  a  shot  from 
the  enemy's  guns. 

His  captain,  the  brave  David  N.  Walker,  wrote  his  father: 
I  have  never  heard  an  oath  or  an  unclean  speech 
from  him — things  so  common  in  the  Army — and  he  was  re- 
markably free  from  all  bad  habits  which  fell  constantly  under 
his  eye.  I  mean  what  I  say,  when  I  call  him  noble,  manly, 
generous,  brave !" 

McDonald,  Craig  Woodrow,  from  Hampshire  County,  W.  Va. 
Aide-de-Camp  to  General  Elzey.  Killed,  Gaines's  Mill,  June, 
1862.  (Brother  of  Colonel  Marshall  McDonald,  professor  for 
many  years  at  the  V.  M.  I.,  and  of  Kenneth  McDonald, 
graduated  in  1873.) 

He  had  a  presentiment  that  he  would  be  killed  in  this  battle, 
yet  the  feeling  did  not  dampen  the  ardor  of  his  zeal.  He  saw 
a  portion  of  the  lines  wavering,  and  with  quick  perception 
realized    that    disaster    was    imminent.      Without    waiting    for 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  451 

orders  he  hurriedly  rode  back  for  the  reinforcements  he  knew 
to  be  coming.  General  Walker  gave  the  command  to  "double 
quick."  The  column  swept  forward  to  the  rescue,  McDonald 
at  the  head,  waving  his  cap  high  in  air,  and,  with  clarion  voice, 
shouting:  "Rescue!"  A  grapeshot  struck  him  in  the  breast, 
and  he  fell  dead. 

McDowell,  William  Hugh,  from  Mecklenburg  County,  N.  C. 
Private,  Co.  B,  Corps  Cadets.  Killed  at  New  Market,  May 
15,   1864. 

McGehee,  Nathaniel  Madison,  from  Louisa  County,  Va.  Private, 
Co.  C,  23d  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  near  Strasburg,  Va.,  May  28, 
1862. 

McKiNNEY,  Robert  M ,  from  Lynchburg,  Va.     Colonel,  15th 

N.  C.  Infantry.     Killed  on  Virginia  Peninsula,  April  16,  1862. 

He  had  expressed  a  conviction  that  he  would  be  killed  in  his  first 
battle.  How  sadly  was  that  foreboding  realized!  At  the  time 
he  was  called  to  command  this  regiment,  he  occupied  a  pro- 
fessor's chair  in  the  North  Carolina  Military  Institute. 

Meares,  Levin  W ,  from  Hampton,  Va.  Private,  "Old  Do- 
minion Dragoons,"  Co.  D,  3d  Va.  Cavalry.  Died  of  typhoid 
fever  in  the  military  service,  in  1862. 

Meem,  James  Lawrence,  from  Lynchburg,  Va.  Captain  and  A. 
A.-G.  Garland's  Brigade.  Killed  at  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines. 
He  spent  the  day  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  cheering  his  men, 
and  sharing  their  hardships,  and  dangers,  having  two  horses 
killed  under  him.  Towards  its  close,  when  inside  the  enemy's 
breastworks  from  which  they  had  been  driven,  he  was  pierced 
by  one  of  their  balls  and  fell  dead. 

An  officer  of  high  rank,  and  his  devoted  friend,  thus  wrote 
of  Captain  Meem:  "I  must  tell  you  with  what  beautiful  con- 
sistency my  gallant  comrade  each  night  drew  out  his  Testa- 
ment and  reverently  read  a  chapter  before  retiring  to  rest. 
The  regularity  and  feeling  with  which  this  was  done — in  the 
camp,  on  the  picket,  in  the  very  presence  of  the  enemy — his 
remarkable  purity  of  character  (almost  woman-like),  and 
frequent  expressions  of  his,  inspired  me  with  hope  and  con- 
fidence. ...  I  shall  think  of  him  as  a  Bayard,  'Sans  peur 
et  sans  reproche.'  .  .  .  He  is  always  spoken  of  as  the 
gallant  Captain  Meem." 

(An  older  brother  was  likewise  a  graduate  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute,  whose  five  sons  and  grandson  are  also 
graduates.) 

Miller,  Randolph  Russell,  from  Shenandoah  County,  Va.  1st 
Lieutenant,  Co.  A,  10th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Chancellors- 
ville,  while  leading  his  regiment,  and  after  recapturing  his 
colors  (his  senior  officers  having  fallen,  and  the  colors  having 
been  lost). 


452  The  Military  Histoey  or 

Milton,  George  Robert,  M.  D.,  from  Winchester,  Va.  (later, 
from  Missouri).  Colonel  in  Price's  Army.  Died  May  31, 
1866,  from  effects  of  exposure  in  the  military  service. 
MoFFETT,  John  Stuart,  from  Rockbridge  County,  Va.  Cadet 
Drillmaster  in  4th  Va.  Infantry,  and  a  volunteer.  Killed  at 
First  Manassas,  July  21,  1861. 

(John  Moffett,  Charlie  Moore,  and  Charlie  Norris  all  be- 
came brother-cadets  within  a  few  days  of  one  another,  entered 
service  together,  and  on  the  same  day  died  for  the  common 
Mother  Country,  in  their  first  battle  for  her  rights.) 
Moffett,  Walter  Franklin,  from  Rappahannock  County,  Va. 
Private,  Co.  B,  6th  Va.  Cavalry.  Killed  at  Yellow  Tavern, 
May  11,  1864. 
Montague,  Andrew  Jackson,  from  Middlesex  County,  Va.  Pri- 
vate, Co.  C,  56th  Va.  Infantry.  Died  July  12th,  from  wound 
received  in  battle  of  Gaines's  Mill,  June  27,  1862. 

His  gallant  lieutenant-colonel  (William  S.  Christian)  wrote 
the  V.  M.  I.  Historiographer:  "I  was  commanding  the  regi- 
ment in  that  fight,  and  young  Montague  was  only  a  few  feet 
from  me  when  he  was  shot.  He  turned  to  me  and  said, 
'Colonel,  I  am  shot,  but  I  think  I  can  continue  to  fight.'  I 
looked  at  him,  and  seeing  the  blood  streaming  from  his  arm 
and  body,  said,  'Jack,  go  at  once  to  the  rear,  and  see  the 
surgeon.'  That  was  the  last  time  I  ever  saw  him.  He  was  a 
most  gallant  and  excellent  soldier,  in  camp  and  in  the  field. 
A  short  time  before  the  battles  around  Richmond,  in  June. 
1862,  a  vacancy  occurred  in  Co.  C,  of  junior  second  lieutenant. 
At  that  time,  the  men  elected  their  oflGicers.  At  that  election, 
Montague  and  my  brother  (Dr.  R.  A.  Christian)  were  both 
nominated.  My  brother  was  elected  by  only  a  majority  of  two 
votes,  thus  showing  the  estimate  in  which  Jack  Montague  was 
held  by  his  comrades." 
Moomau,  John  Bean,  from  Pendleton  County,  W.  Va.  Captain, 
"Franklin  Guards."     Died  in  military  service,  in  1864. 

Moore,  Charles  W ,  from  Abingdon,  Va.     Cadet  Drillmaster 

(acting  captain).     Killed  at  First  Manassas  July  21,  1861,  as 
a  volunteer. 

(See  John  S.  Moffett  above.) 

Captain  Robert  McCulloch,  a  comrade  of  Moore's  at  the 
V.  M.  I.,  found  his  body  and  buried  it  on  the  battlefield,  and 
wrote  his  mother  where  it  was  buried,  and  how  the  grave  was 
marked;  so  that  his  mother  was  able  to  identify  the  grave 
and  re-inter  the  body  of  her  gallant  young  son. 
Morgan,  Edward  Ford,  from  Augusta,  Ga.  Major,  8th  Va. 
Battalion  Infantry.  Died  January  3,  1869,  from  disease  con- 
tracted in  the  military  service. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  453 

He  is  said  to  have  been  the  youngest  major  in  the  Army,  at 
the  time  of  his  appointment.  He  was  severely  wounded  at 
Atlanta  (at  first  thought  mortally)  by  a  minie  ball  which 
passed  through  his  neck,  but  after  a  few  months  he  was  able 
to  resume  duty  in  the  field. 

After  the  disastrous  battles  of  Franklin  and  Nashville  (in 
which  he  was  not  engaged,  owing  to  a  severe  attack  of  ery- 
sipelas, doubtless  superinduced  by  his  late  serious  wound),  he 
was  in  command  of  what  remained  of  Gist's  Brigade,  though 
he  was  only  a  major  in  rank.  He  clung  to  the  western  Army, 
and  shared  its  fate  in  North  Carolina. 

Few  of  his  youthful  compatriots  possessed  more  of  the 
elements  of  a  soldier.  He  was  a  boy  in  years,  but  a  man  in 
attributes.  The  last  few  years  of  his  short  but  eventful  life 
were  spent  in  superintending  a  plantation  in  Alabama,  and 
there  in  the  morning  of  life,  on  the  3d  day  of  January,  1869, 
he  died,  from  disease  contracted  in  the  service  of  his  country. 
Morgan,  William  Henry,  from  Chesterfield  County,  Va.  Captain, 
Co.  F,  21st  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Cedar  Run,  August  9, 
1862. 

He  enlisted  June,  1861,  as  adjutant  of  the  21st  Va.  Infan- 
try, and  was  soon  elected  Captain  of  Co.  F,  of  that  regiment 
(famous  "I'"  Co.  of  Richmond).  His  V.  M.  I.  comrade. 
Captain  John  D.  Young  (himself  a  gallant  Confederate 
officer),  prepared  for  "The  Virginia  Military  Institute 
Memorial"  a  fitting  and  touching  sketch  of  this  superb  soldier 
and  noble  gentleman.  "Perhaps,"  says  Captain  Young,  "there 
is  nothing  that  so  fascinates  the  gaze  of  the  soldier  and  diverts 
his  attention  from  the  horrors  of  the  battlefield  and  its 
attendant  fears  and  misgivings,  as  the  spectacle  of  an  officer 
who  calmly  and  fearlessly  looks  death  in  the  face ;  one  who 
bears  himself  with  the  ease  and  serenity  that  becomes  the 
drawing-room,  rather  than  the  disordered  arena  of  carnage; 
who,  without  the  least  bravado,  yet  with  the  high  pride  and 
courage  that  scorns  the  base  thought  of  fear,  encourages  others, 
and  stands  with  waiting  patience  to  meet  his  fate ;  one,  in 
short,  who  knows  no  compromise  with  duty.  In  such  noble 
presence  even  the  basest  minds  must  feel  the  electric  effect  of 
their  proximity;  it  is  the  touch  of  nature  that  makes  all  akin, 
and  mesmerizes  the  mind  and  body  of  the  crowd  to  the  strong 
will  of  the  leader. 

"Thus  it  was,  that  Morgan,  reckless  of  his  own  life,  moved 
with  careless  ease  before  his  men  whom  he  compelled  to  lie 
down  under  the  severe  artillery  fire  to  which  they  were 
exposed. 


454  The  Military  History  of 

"In  the  meantime,  the  pressure  in  front  of  the  brigade  had 
become  very  much  increased;  the  irregular  line  of  skirmishers 
were  replaced  by  solid  masses  of  infantry;  the  advance  had 
begun,  and  in  a  few  minutes  a  fierce  force  poured  down  on  the 
2d  Brigade,  overlapping  its  left  flank,  and  filling  the  gap 
between  the  brigade  and  the  "Stonewall."  The  last  corps 
(taken  on  the  flank,  and  in  reverse)  at  once  broke,  as  did  also 
the  left  regiment  of  the  2d  Brigade.  It  was  reserved  for  the 
21st  Reeriment  to  stay  the  torrent,  and  hold  in  check  for  a  few 
minutes  only  (but  yet  how  important  even  that  time!)  the 
victorious  enemy. 

"In  this  melee,  Morgan,  ever  foremost  in  action,  met  a 
glorious  death,  while  encouraging  his  men  to  stand  fast  and 
do  their  duty. 

"Thus  fell,  in  the  prime  of  life,  a  most  gallant  soldier  and 
virtuous  gentleman.  Throughout  his  military  career,  he  never 
failed  either  in  the  comprehension  or  performance  of  his  duty ; 
and,  in  the  high  promise  that  he  gave  of  future  usefulness,  it  is 
not  too  much  to  say  that  the  scope  of  his  ofiice  was  far  too 
small  to  show  the  extent  of  his  genius.  No  greater  compliment 
could  be  rendered  him  as  an  officer  than  the  discipline  of  his 
company  under  the  trying  circumstances  of  his  death." 

He  graduated  in  1860,  "First  Captain"  of  his  Class,  and 
was  immediately  appointed  an  assistant  professor  at  the 
Institute.     (Two  younger  brothers  were  also  cadets  with  him.) 

Morton,  Tignal  Jones,  from  Mecklenburg  County,  Va.     Colonel, 

53d  Tenn.  Infantry.     Died ,  1871,  from  effects  of  wounds 

received  in  the  military  service. 

Neff,  John  Francis,  from  Shenandoah  County,  Va.  Colonel,  33d 
Va.  Infantry.     Killed  at  Gainesville,  Va.,  August  28,  1862. 

NiEMEYER,  John  Chandler,  from  Portsmouth,  Va.  1st  Lieu- 
tenant, Co.  I,  9th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Gettysburg,  July 
3,  1863. 

NoRRis,  Charles  Robert,  from  Leesburg,  Va.  Cadet  Drillmaster, 
acting  captain,  27th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed,  First  Manassas. 
(See  J.  S.  Moffett  above.) 

Oliver,  John  Mayo,  from  Mecklenburg  County,  Va.  Captain, 
Oliver's  Battery.  Mortally  wounded  at  Wytheville,  Va..  and 
died  July  18,  1863. 

Oliver,  Yelverton  Neal,  from  Roanoke  County,  Va.  1st  Lieu- 
tenant, "Roanoke  Grays,"  28th  Va.  Infantry,  afterwards 
Courier  in  Cavalry.  Killed  at  Fisher's  Hill,  in  the  fall  of 
1864.  (He  was  exempt  from  service  in  the  field  on  account 
of  ill  health,  but  insisted  on  serving.) 

Otey,  George  Gaston,  from  Lynchburg,  Va.  Captain,  Otey 
Battery.      Died    October    21,    1862,    from    wound   received   at 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  4^55 

Lewisburg.      (One    of    five    cadet    brothers    who    were    distin- 
guished officers  in  the  Confederate  Army.) 
Pannill,  John  Morton,  from  Patrick  County,  Va.     Enlisted,  but 

died  November,  1861,  before  entering  the  field.     Private,  42d 

Va.  Infantry. 
Park,    William    K ,    from    Jackson    County,    Va.    (W.    Va.). 

Lieutenant,   Engineers.      Died   May   5,    1865,   of   disease   con- 
tracted in  the  service. 
Parran,  Wm.  Sellman,  M.  D.,  from  Herdy  County,  Va.  (W.  Va.). 

Captain  and  Surgeon,  Courtney's  Battalion  Artillery.     Killed 

at  Sharpsburg,  September  17,  1862. 
Patterson,   Reuben   Blakey,  M.   D.,  from  Amherst  County,  Va. 

Captain    and    Assistant    Surgeon,    5th    Va.    Infantry.       Died 

February  1,  1862,  in  the  military  service. 
Patton,  Geo.   Smith,   from  Charleston,  Va.    (W.   Va.).      Colonel, 

22d  Va.  Infantry.     Mortally  wounded  at  Winchester,  and  died 

June  19,  1864. 
Patton,  Waller  Tazewell,  from  Culpeper  County,  Va.     Colonel, 

7th  Va.  Infantry.     Mortally  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  July  3, 

1863,  and  died  eighteen  days  afterwards.  (Two  of  five 
brothers  in  C.  S.  A.  killed,  four  of  whom  being  graduates  of 
the  Institute.) 

*Pearce,  Robert  Scott,  from  Richmond,  Va.  1st  Lieutenant,  and 
commanding  Johnson's  Battery.     Mortally  wounded.  May  23, 

1864,  at  Taylorsville,  Va.,  and  died  next  morning. 
Pearson,  John  Rufus,  from  Salisbury,  N.  C.     1st  Lieutenant,  7th 

N.  C.  Infantry.     Killed,  Frazier's  Farm,  September  30,  1864. 

Peebles,  Hartwell  Heath,  from  Petersburg,  Va.     2d  Lieutenant, 

Hinton's  Co.,  Deering's  Cavalry.     Died  August ,  1864,  of 

typhoid  fever  contracted  in  the  military  service. 

Pegram,  John  Cargill,  from  Norfolk,  Va.  Captain  and  A.  A.-G. 
to  General  Matt.  Ranson.  Killed  June  16,  1864.  (Before 
Petersburg.) 

Pemberton,  John  Richard,  from  Goochland  County,  Va.  Private, 
4th  Va.  Cavalry.  Killed  by  deserter  he  had  been  sent  to  ap- 
prehend, who  was  riding  behind  him  on  his  horse. 

Pendleton,  Edward,  from  Clarke  County,  Va.  Lieutenant,  Co.  C, 
nth  Va.  Infantry.     Killed  May  6,  1864.     (The  Wilderness.) 

Pendleton,  William  Wood,  from  New  Orleans,  La.  Private, 
Washington  Artillery.  Died  1870,  from  the  effects  of  the 
military  service. 

Pennybacker,  Thos.  Jefferson,  from  Rockingham  County,  Va. 
Captain,  Co.  H,  10th  Va.  Cavalry.  Died  December  6,  1861, 
from  wound  received  at  Flint  Hill,  Va. 

♦The  night  before  he  was  wounded,  he  heard  of  his  wife's  illness,  but 
said,  "My  duty  is  here."  When  his  body  reached  Richmond,  the  funeral  of 
his  young  wife  was  taking  place  there,  she  having  died  on  the  same  day  and 
hour  with  him. 


456  The  Military  History  of 

Petway,  Oliver  Cromwell,  from  Edgecombe  County,  N.  C.  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel, 35th  N.  C.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Malvern  Hill, 
July  1,  1862.  (In  one  year,  he  rose  from  a  cadetship  to  the 
command  of  a  regiment.) 

PiTTS^  John  Henry,  from  King  William  County,  Va.  Captain  of 
a  King  William  company  which  he  raised,  but  died  before  he 
could  see  active  service,  June  1,  1861. 

Powell,  Richard  Harrison,  from  Tarboro,  N.  C.  Lieutenant,  Co. 
G,  3d  N.  C.  Cavalry.  Mortally  wounded  near  Dinwiddie 
C.  H.,  and  died  the  following  day,  April  1,  1865. 

Preston,  William  Caruthers,  from  Lexington,  Va.  Volunteer 
cadet  with  "Liberty  Hall  Volunteers,"  4th  Va.  Infantry. 
Mortally  wounded,  Second  Manassas,  August  28,  1862,  and 
died  the  next  day.  (Third  son  of  Col.  J.  T.  L.  Preston, 
Professor,  V.  M.  I.) 

Price,  George  Simpson,  from  Botetourt  County,  Va.  Private,  Co. 
C,  2d  Va.  Cavalry.  Killed  at  Hartswood  Church,  Va.,  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1863. 

Randolph,  William  Henry,  from  Augusta  County,  Va.  Captain, 
Co.  B,  5th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  June  27, 
1862. 

Redwood,  John  Tyler,  from  Mobile,  Ala.  Private,  Albemarle 
Artillery.  Wounded  at  Cold  Harbor,  June  27,  1862.  Died 
July,  1862.  (A  younger  brother  served  gallantly  in  the  New 
Market  Battalion.) 

Reveley,  William  Wirt,  from  Appomattox  County,  Va.  Lieu- 
tenant, Co.  C,  Lucas's  Battalion  Artillery  from  South  Carolina. 
Prisoner  at  time  of  surrender,  and  sick.  Died  October  25, 
1865,  from  effects  of  the  military  service. 

Rhodes,  Edward  Averett,  from  Stockton,  Cal.  1st  Lieutenant, 
nth  N.  C.  Infantry.  Killed,  with  colors  in  hand,  at  Gettys- 
burg, July  1,  1863." 

Rice,  Thomas  Crenshaw,  M.  D.,  from  Charlotte  County,  Va.  Lieu- 
tenant, 3d  Va.  Cavalry.  Died  July  20,  1862,  from  disease 
contracted  in  the  military  service. 

Richardson,  John  Quincy  Adams,  from  Portsmouth,  Va.  Major, 
52d  N.  C.  Infantry.     Killed  at  Gettysburg. 

RiDDicK,  Charles  Henry,  from  Nansemond  County,  Va.  Captain, 
13th  Va.  Cavalry.  Desperately  wounded,  and  died  August  — , 
1878,  from  effects  of  wound. 

Ridley,  John  David,  from  Oxford,  N.  C.  1st  Lieutenant  of 
Volunteers,  later.  Courier  on  Jackson's  Staff.  He  never  re- 
covered from  the  injury  to  his  head  by  the  concussion  of  a 
bursting  shell  in  battle,  and  died  early  in  1865. 

RoDES,  Robert  Emmet,  from  Lynchburg,  Va.  Major-General, 
C.  S.  A.     Killed,  Winchester,  Va.,  September  19,  1864.. 


The  Vieginia  Military  Institute  457 

Rogers,  Arthur  Lee,  from  Loudoun  County,  Va.  Major,  Artillery. 
Died  from  effects  of  wound  received  at  Chancellorsville, 
September  13,  1871.  (Designer  of  flag  adopted  by  Con- 
federate Congress.) 

Rutherford,  Robert  Henderson,  from  Cumberland  County,  Va. 
Private,  Co.  G,  3d  Va.  Cavalry.  Died  in  the  military  service, 
January  18,  1863. 

Scales,  James  Robert,  from  Patrick  County,  Va.  Captain,  Co.  H, 
54th  Va.  Infantry.  Died  November  9,  1866,  from  disease 
induced  by  hardships  and  exposure  in  the  campaign  in 
Tennessee,  in  winter  of  1864-5. 

Seaborn,  George  Andrew,  from  Sussex  County,  Va.  Private,  13th 
Va.  Cavalry.     Killed,  Dinwiddie  C.  H.,  April  8,  1865. 

Selden,  William  Boswell,  from  Norfolk,  Va.  1st  Lieutenant, 
C.  S.  Engineers.  Killed  while  acting  as  lieutenant  of  artillery, 
at  Roanoke  Island,  February  8,  1862. 

Silvester,  Keeling,  from  Norfolk,  Va.  Private,  15th  Va.  Cavalry. 
Killed  in  1864,  defending  a  Southern  woman,  while  on  special 
detail  in  North  Carolina. 

Simpson,  Robert  Henry,  from  Warren  County,  Va.  Major,  17th 
Va.  Infantry.  Lost  leg  at  Drewry's  Bluff,  and  died  June  9, 
1864. 

Slaughter,  Edward  Mercer,  from  Rappahannock  County,  Va. 
Private,  6th  Va.  Cavalry.  Killed  November  12,  1864,  in  the 
Valley  of  Virginia. 

Smith,  Francis  Williamson,  from  Norfolk,  Va.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel,  Artillery.  Mortally  wounded  and  died  next  day,  April 
6,  1865,  at  Amelia  Springs,  Va. 

Spears,  John  Walter,  from  Powhatan  County,  Va.  Private,  Co. 
E,  4th  Va.  Cavalr3^  Died  May  29,  1864,  from  wound  received 
at  Spottsylvania  C.  H.,  May  8th. 

Speed,  Henry  Goodridge,  from  Granville  County,  N.  C.  Private, 
1st  N.  C.  Cavalry.  Killed,  Poplar  Spring  Church,  Va.,  August 
21,  1864. 

Stanard,  Jaqueline  Beverley,  from  Orange  County,  Va.  Private, 
Co.  D,  Corps  Cadets.     Killed  at  New  Market,  May  15,  1864. 

Starke,  Edward  Butler,  from  New  Orleans,  La.  (Son  of  Gen- 
eral W.  E.  Starke,  C.  S.  A.,  killed.)  Adjutant,  7th  Va.  Infan- 
try.    Mortally  wounded  at  Seven  Pines,  and  died  May  31,  1862. 

Stewart,    Benjamin    F ,    from    Westmoreland    County,    Va. 

Captain,  Co.  K,  40th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed,  Spottsylvania 
C.  H.,  May  12,  1864. 

Stone,  Nolan,  from  Natchez,  Miss.  Sergeant,  Co.  B,  1st  Engi- 
neers, Army  Northern  Virginia.  Died  January  21,  1867, 
from  hardships  and  exposure  of  military  service. 

Strange,  John  Bowie,  from  Fluvanna  County,  Va.  Colonel,  19th 
Va.  Infantry.     Killed  at  South  Mountain,  September  14,  1862, 


458  The  Military  History  of 

after  having  previously  (in  the  same  battle)  received  two 
wounds.  (He  was  the  first  cadet  posted  as  a  sentinel,  Novem- 
ber 11,  1839,  at  the  V.  M.  I.) 

Stuart,  William  Dabney,  from  Staunton,  Va.  Colonel,  56th  Va. 
Infantry.  Mortally  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  and  died  three 
weeks  afterwards. 

SroDOTH,  Francis  Marion,  from  Fauquier  County,  Va.  Adjutant, 
26th  Va.  Infantry.  Died  October  30,  1861,  of  disease  con- 
tracted in  the  military  service. 

Sydnor,  Richard  Downing  Boardman,  from  Northumberland 
County,  Va.  2d  Lieutenant,  Co.  B,  40th  Va.  Infantry.  From 
three  desperate  wounds  received  June  30,  1862,  in  Seven  Days' 
battles  near  Richmond,  he  died  July  22,  1862. 

Taylor,  Robert  Craig,  from  Montgomery  County,  Va.  Private, 
Co.  G,  4th  Va.  Infantry.     Killed,  Malvern  Hill,  July  1,  1862. 

Taylor,  Thomas  Skelton,  from  Franklin  County,  Va.  Captain, 
Co.  D,  24th  Va.  Infantry.  Died  October  4,  'l861,  of  typhoid 
fever,  contracted  in  the  military  service. 

Terry,  Charles  Wentworth,  from  Pittsylvania  County,  Va. 
Sergeant,  Co.  G,  11th  Va.  Infantry.  Killed,  Seven  Pines, 
May  31,  1862. 

Thomas,  Lewis  M.,  from  Christian  County,  Ky.  Captain  and  Asst. 
Adjutant-General,  Staff,  General  B.  H.  Helm.  Died  at 
Corinth,  Miss.,  of  typhoid  fever.  May  19,  1862,  due  to  un- 
healthful  condition  of  the  camp  at  Corinth. 

Thomson,  James  Walton,  from  Clarke  County,  Va.  Major,  Horse 
Artillery,  Army  Northern  Virginia.  Killed  April  6,  1865 
(after  having  been  wounded  the  day  before),  while  leading  a 
cavalry  charge,  on  retreat  to  Appomattox. 

Terrill,  James  Barbour,  from  Bath  County,  Va.  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral, Army  Northern  Virginia.  Killed,  Bethesda  Church,  Va., 
May  31,  1864. 

Tomes,  Francis  Iselin,  from  Memphis,  Tenn.  Private,  V.  M.  I. 
Corps  Cadets.  Died  a  few  months  after  the  War,  from  ex- 
posure in  the  military  service,  with  the  Battalion  of  Cadets. 

Tredway,  Thomas  Booker,  from  Pittsylvania  County,  Va.  Ser- 
geant, Co.  I,  53d  Va.  Infantry.  Mortally  wounded  at  Gettys- 
burg, July  3,  1863.     (No  further  tidings  ever  received  of  him.) 

Trout,  Erasmus  Stribling,  from  Staunton,  Va.  Captain,  Co.  H. 
52d  Va.  Infantry.  Died  October  20,  1866,  from  effects  of  the 
military  service. 

Turner,  John  Anderson,  from  Bladen  Springs,  Ala.  1st  Lieu- 
tenant, Robertson's  Horse  Artillery,  attached  to  1st  La. 
Cavalry,  Army  of  Tennessee.  Mortally  wounded  near  Atlanta, 
and  died  in  hospital  at  Macon,  Ga.,  July  23,  1864. 

Tyler,  Samuel,  from  Richmond,  Va.  1st  Lieutenant,  C.  S.  Engi- 
neers. Lingering  from  illness  contracted  in  the  military 
service  for  two  years,  he  died  May  8,  1867. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  459 

Urquhart,  Charles  Fox,  from  Southampton  County,  Va.  Major, 
3(i  Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Sharpsburg^  with  colors  in  hand, 
September  17,  1862. 

Van  Epps,  George  Carroll,  from  Atlanta,  Ga.  Private,  Co.  A, 
19th  Tenn.  Infantry.  Died  November  6,  1872,  from  disease 
contracted  in  the  military  service. 

Vaughan,  Robert  Francis,  from  Amelia  County,  Va.  Private, 
Co.  G,  1st  Va.  Cavalry.  Killed  at  Winchester,  September  19, 
1864. 

*Waller,  John  Tyler,  from  Williamsburg,  Va.  Private,  Mosby's 
Cavalry.     Killed  March  14,  1865. 

Walthall,  James  Alexander,  from  Richmond,  Va.  1st  Lieu- 
tenant and  Adjutant,  13th  Va.  Infantry.  Died  from  exposure 
soon  after  his  appointment,  early  in  summer  of  1861.  (He 
was  Ord.  Sergeant  of  A  Co.,  in  Corps  marched  to  Richmond 
by  Jackson,  in  April,  1861.) 

Ward,  John  Cabell,  from  Lynchburg,  Va.  Captain,  Co.  E,  11th 
Va.  Infantry.  Died  March  7,  1866,  from  hardships  suffered 
in  prison. 

Ward,  William  Norwood,  Jr.,  from  Richmond  County,  Va. 
Captain,  47th  Va.  Infantry.  Died  August  29,  1862,  from 
wound  received  at  Gaines's  Mill. 

Warwick,  Barksdale,  from  Richmond,  Va.  1st  Lieutenant  and 
Aide-de-Camp  to  General  H.  A.  Wise.  Killed  March  29,  1866, 
on  retreat  to  Appomattox. 

Watkins,  William  Edward,  from  Halifax  County,  Va.  Ord. 
Sergeant,  Albright's  Battery.  Died  a  few  months  after  the 
War,  of  disease  contracted  in  the  military  service. 

Watson,  William  E.,  from  Loudoun  County,  Va.  C.  S.  A.  (com- 
mand unknown).  Captured  at  Gettysburg,  and  died  at  John- 
son's Island,  1863. 

Wheatley,  Mandly  Taylor,  from  Warren  County,  Va.  Major, 
49th  Va.  Infantry.  Died  of  typhoid  fever  contracted  in  the 
military  service,  December  — ,  1861. 

Wheelwright,  Joseph  Christopher,  from  Westmoreland  County, 
Va.  Private,  Co.  C,  Corps  Cadets.  Killed  at  New  Market, 
May  15,  1864. 

Williams,  Benjamin  Watkins,  from  Danville,  Va.  Private  (com- 
mand unknown).  Died  of  disease  contracted  in  the  military 
service, ,  1863. 

*Grandson  of  Ex-President  Tyler.  He  was  killed  by  a  squad  of  Federals 
who  surrounded  him  after  his  little  horse  could  go  no  f.arther.  The  officer  in 
command  reported  his  death  at  a  neighboring  farm-house,  and  added,  "Let 
him  be  buried  honorably,  for  he  was  the  bravest  rebel  we  ever  fought."  He 
was  buried  at  Williamsburg,  his  epitaph  having  been  chosen  by  himself  several 
months  before — the  simple  Latin  motto,  "Dulce  et  decorum  est  pro  patria 
mori." 

When  it  was  thought  he  would  probably  die,  from  a  desperate  wound  re- 
ceived previouslv  at  the  battle  of  Williamsburg,  he  said, — "If  I  die,  it  will  be 
in  defense  of  Mamma's  grave  from  the  footsteps  of  the  enemy."  The  Legislature 
of  Virginia  is  said  to  have  recorded  this  touching  incident  in  Its  .Journal. 


460  The  Military  History  of 

Williams,  Lewis  Burwell,  from  Orange  County,  Va.  Colonel,  1st 
Va.  Infantry.  Killed  at  Gettysburg,  July  3,  1863,  while  com- 
manding his  brigade. 

Williamson,  Joseph  Lewis,  from  Sussex  County,  Va.  Private,  Co. 
H,  13th  Va.  Cavalry.  Died  May  20,  1864,  from  wound  re- 
ceived at  Spottsylvania. 

Wilson,  Nathaniel  Claiborne,  from  Botetourt  County,  Va. 
Major,   28th   Va.    Infantry.      Killed   at   Gettysburg,   July    3, 

1863,  exclaiming:    "Tell  my  mother  I  died  a  true  soldier  and 
I  hope  a  true  Christian." 

WoRSHAM,  Patrick  Henry,  from  Dinwiddle  County,  Va.  Ser- 
geant-Major,  3d  Va.  Cavalry.  Died  June  5,  1862,  of  camp 
fever. 

Wright,  Charles  Thomas,  from  Wilmington,  N.  C.  Sergeant- 
Major,  37th  N.  C.  Infantry.  Died  May  26,  1864,  from  wound 
received  at  the  Wilderness,  nineteen  days  before. 

Wilcox,  James  Westmore,  from  Charles  City  County,  Va.  Ser- 
geant, Co.   D,  3d  Va.  Cavalry.     Mortally  wounded  June   11, 

1864,  at  Trevelians,  and  died  within  a  few  hours. 


Summary  as  to  Rank 

Major-General 1 

Brigadier-Generals    2 

Colonels    26 

Lieutenant-Colonels 11 

Majors   16 

Captains 44 

Lieutenants  (of  whom  eight  were  Adjutants) 58 

Color-Sergeant 1 

Orderly-Sergeants 2 

Sergeant-Majors   4 

Other  non-commissioned  officers 10 

Privates    67 

Of    unknown    rank 7 

Total 249 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute         461 

Total    number    of   matriculates    from    founding   of    the 

Virginia  Military  Institute  to  1865 2,013 

Less — died  before   1861 111 

1902 
Less 

In   Federal  Army 15 

Physically  disabled  from  military  service 14 

*Clergymen  not  in  Army 11 

Living  in  enemy's  territory  (though  not  in  either  army)  39 
Excused  from  conscription,  as  physicians,  millers,  civil 

service  officials  and  employees,  and  teachers 22 

Unaccounted  for 20        121 

Total  graduates  and  eleves  in  C.  S.  A '         1,781 

(Or  nearly  94  per  cent,  of  all  living  ex-cadets  !) 

Killed  or  died  in  the  military  service  of  C.  S.  A.,  during  the 
War,  fourteen  (14)  per  cent,  of  all  Alumni  living  in  1861  (except 
121  accounted  for  above.) 

[One-third  of  the  total  number  in  the  Union  Army  were  killed.] 

♦Some  V.  M.  I.  Alumni  who  were  clergymen  were  in  the  Confederate  Army. 


462  The  Military  History  of 


APPENDIX  C 

ASSISTANT  PROFESSORS  AND  TACTICAL  STAFF, 

1842-1865 

Cadet  James  B.  Dorman,  Dept.  Languages,  1842-3. 
Cadet  William  J.  Warden,  Dept.  Languages,  1842-3. 
Cadet  J.  W.  Wildman,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1842-3. 
Cadet  J.  C.  Wills,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1842-3. 
Lieut.  W.  A.  Forbes,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1844-5-6-7. 
Lieut.  W.  H.  Richardson,  Jr.,  Dept.  Tactics,  1844-5-6-7. 
Cadet  T.  B.  Robertson,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1844-5. 
Cadet  W.  M.  Nelson,  Dept.  Languages,  1844-5. 
Lieut.  T.  B.  Robertson,  Dept.  Tactics,  1845-6. 
Lieut.  R.  E.  Colston,  Dept.  French,  1845-6-7-8-9. 
Lieut.  J.  Q.  Marr,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1847-8. 
Cadet  S.  T.  Pendleton,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1847-8. 
Cadet  J.  C.  Councill,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1847-8. 
Cadet  J.  P.  Beale,  Dept.  Languages,  1847-8. 

Lieut.    R.    E.    Rodes,    Dept.    Physical    Sciences    and    Tactics, 
1848-9-50. 

Cadet  John  Lawson,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1848-9. 

Cadet  J.  W.  Massie,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1848-9. 

Cadet  Samuel  Garland,  Dept.  Languages,  1848-9. 

Cadet  Robert  Gatewood,  Dept.  Languages,  1848-9. 

Cadet  W.  W.  Gordon,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1848-9-50. 

Lieut.  J.  W.  Massie,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1849-50. 

Cadet  Charles  Denby,  Dept.  Languages,  1849-50. 

Cadet  C.  H.  Harrison,  Dept.  Latin,  1849-50. 

Capt.  J.  W.  Massie,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1850-1. 

Cadet  Joseph  Mayo,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1850-1-2. 

Cadet  F.  S.  Bass,  Dept.  Languages,  1850-1. 

Cadet  Thomas  A.  Harris,  Dept.  Languages,  1850-1. 

Capt.  R.  E.  Colston,  Dept.  Languages,  1849-50-51. 

Lieut.  W.  D.  Stuart,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1851-2. 

Cadet  Geo.  S.  Patton,  Dept.  Languages,  1851-2. 

Cadet  W.  Silvester,  Dept.  Languages,  1851-2. 

Capt.  J.  W.  Allen,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1853-4. 

Lieut.  Daniel  Trueheart,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1853-4. 

Lieut.  Henry  A.  Whiting,  Dept.  Languages  and  Tactics,  1853-4. 

Cadet  W.  T.  Patton,  Dept.  Languages  and  Tactics,  1853-4-5. 

Capt.  J.  G.  Gamble,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1854-5. 

Cadet  Stapleton  Crutchfield,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1854-5. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  463 

Lieut.  G.  H.  Smith,  Dept.  Languages  and  Tactics,  1854-5. 

Lieut.  Stapleton  Crutchfield,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics, 
1855-6-7. 

Capt.  L.  B.  Williams,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1855-6-7-8. 

Cadet  F.  W.  Smith,  Dept.  Mathematics,  1855-6. 

Lieut.  W.  T.  Patton,  Dept.  Languages  and  Tactics,  1855-6-7. 

Cadet  W.  B.  Selden,  Dept.  Languages  and  Tactics,  1855-6. 

Lieut.  P.  B.  Stanard,  Dept.  I>atin  and  Tactics,  1856-7. 

Lieut.  E.  V.  Bargamin,  Dept.  French.   1856-7-8. 

Capt.  Stapleton  Crutchfield,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics, 
1857-8. 

Lieut.  J.  H.  Lane,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics.  1857-8. 

Lieut.  P.  P.  Slaughter,  Dept.  Latin  and  Tactics,  1857-8. 

Lieut.  Geo.  M.  Edgar,  Dept.  Chemistry  and  Tactics,  1857-8. 

Lieut.  R.  M.  Mayo,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1858-9. 

Capt.  M.  B.  Hardin.  Dept.  Latin  and  Tactics,  1858-9-60-61. 

Lieut.  B.  F.  Stewart,  Dept.  French  and  Tactics,  1858-9. 

Lieut.  John  McCausland,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1859- 
60-61. 

Lieut.  J.  H.  Chenoweth,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics.  1859-60. 

Lieut.  W.  A.  Smith,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1861-2. 

Lieut.  Daniel  Trueheart,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics, 
1859-60. 

Lieut.  W.  H.  Otey,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1859-60. 

Lieut.  Scott  Shipp,  Dept.  Latin  and  Tactics,  1859-60-61. 

Lieut.  W.  H.  Morgan,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1860-1. 

Lieut.  O.  C.  Henderson,  Dept.  French  and  Tactics,  1859-60. 

Lieut.  J.  D.  H.  Ross,  Dept.  French  and  Tactics,  1860-1. 

Lieut.  H.  A.  Wise,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1862-3-4. 

Lieut.  T.  B.  Robinson,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1862-3-4. 

Lieut.  L.  Crittenden,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1861-2. 

Lieut.  J.  G.  Miller,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1862-3-4. 

Lieut.  A.  S.  Scott,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1862-3. 

Lieut.  Frank  Preston,  Dept.  Latin  and  Tactics,  1862-3-4. 

Lieut.  A.  G.  Hill,  Dept.  French  and  Tactics,  1862-3-4. 

Capt.  H.  A.  Wise,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1864-5. 

Capt.  T.  B.  Robinson,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1864-5. 

Capt.  A.  G.  Hill,  Dept.  French  and  Tactics,  1864-5. 

Capt.  Frank  Preston,  Dept.  Latin  and  Tactics,  1864-5. 

Lieut.  R.  A.  Crawford,  Dept.  French  and  Tactics,  1863-4. 

Lieut.  J.  E.  Roller,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1863-4. 

Lieut.  J.  B.  Prince,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1863-4. 

Lieut.  E.  D.  Yancey,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1863-4. 

Lieut.  C.  Y.  Steptoe,  Dept.  Mathematics  and  Tactics,  1864-6. 


464  The  Military  History  of 


APPENDIX  D 

HEARING  BEFORE  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  CLAIMS,  U.  S. 

SENATE,  SIXTY-THIRD   CONGRESS,   SECOND 

SESSION,  ON  S.  544 

A  Bill  for  the  Relief  of  the  Virginia  Military   Institute, 

OF  Lexington,  Va. 

COMMITTEE  ON  CLAIMS 

United  States  Senate 

Nathan  P.  Beyan,  Florida,  Chairman 

Lee  S.  Ovebman,  North  Carolina         Coe  I.  Cbawford,  South  Dakota 

Key  Pittman,  Nevada  Joseph  L.  Bristow,  Kansas 

Joseph  T.  Robinson,  Arkansas  William  0.  Bradley,  Kentucky 

Ollie  M.  James,  Kentucky  Edwin  C.  Burleigh,  Maine 

Charles  F.  Johnson,  Maine  Nathan  Goff,  West  Virginia 

Thomas  S.  Martin,  Virginia  George  W.  Nobbis,  Nebraska 
Habby  Lane,  Oregon 

W.  T.  Bauskett,  Clerk 

VIRGINIA  MILITARY  INSTITUTE,  LEXINGTON,  VA. 

Saturday,  February  7,  1914 

Committee  on  Claims, 

United  States  Senate, 

Washington,  D.  C. 

The  committee  met  at  10:30  o'clock  a.  m.,  pursuant  to  the  call  of 
the  chairman. 

Present:  Senators  Nathan  P.  Bryan  (chairman),  Martin,  John- 
son, Bradley,  James,  Pittman,  Overman,  Norris,  and  Burleigh. 

The  Chairman.  Senator  du  Pont,  we  are  met  this  morning  to 
hear  you  on  your  bill.  Senate  544,  which  is  as  follows : 

[S.  544,  Sixty-third  Congress,  first  session] 

A   BILL — For   the  relief  of  the   Virginia   Military  Institute, 
of  Lexington,  Virginia. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  be,  and  he  is  hereby,  authorized  and  directed  to  pay  to  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute,  of  Lexington.  Virginia,  out  of  any  money  in 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  46.5 

the  Treasury  not  otherwise  appropriated,  the  sum  of  $214,723,62,  in  full 
of  all  claims  of  said  Institute  for  the  damage  and  destruction  of  its  library, 
scientific  apparatus,  and  the  quarters  of  its  professors  in  June,  eighteen 
hundred  and  sixty-four,  by  the  military  authority  of  the  United  States. 
And  the  acceptance  of  the  said  sum  by  the  said  Institute  shall  be  a  com- 
plete and  absolute  bar  to  any  and  all  claims  for  the  damage  and  destruction 
of  the  property  of  said  Institute  by  the  armies  of  the  United  States. 

The  committee  will  be  very  glad  to  hear  any  statements  you  have 
to  make  in  connection  with  it. 

Statement  of  Senator  H.  A.  du  Pont,  of  Delaware 

Senator  du  Pont.  Mr.  Chairman  and  gentlemen,  the  history  of 
my  connection  with  tlie  bill  under  consideration  is  this :  I  was  Chief 
of  Artillery  of  Gen.  Hunter's  command,  which  was  operating  in  the 
valley  and  took  possession  of  Lexington  on  the  11th  of  June,  1864. 
Gen.  Nichols,  the  Superintendent  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute, 
knowing  this,  came  to  see  me  and  made  some  inquiries  about  the 
destruction  of  the  property  of  the  Institute  at  that  time.  Most  of 
the  buildings,  with  one  exception,  I  think,  were  entirely  burned 
down  and  destroyed  by  order  of  Gen.  Hunter.  I  told  Gen.  Nichols 
that  at  the  time  I  was  very  much  opposed  to  the  destruction  of  the 
Institute  buildings,  as  I  thought  it  was  a  wholly  unnecessary  de- 
struction of  private  property  and  not  justified  by  the  rules  of  war, 
excepting  so  far  as  the  destruction  of  the  cadet  barracks  was  con- 
cerned, which  I  thought  was  proper,  and  that  this  opinion  was  gen- 
erally concurred  in  by  all  the  officers  with  whom  I  came  in  contact. 
I  remember,  among  others,  that  the  late  President  McKinley,  who 
was  there,  being  one  of  the  staff  officers,  expressed  the  same  views, 
and  that  he  and  Capt.  Prendergast,  who  was  afterwards  killed,  and 
other  officers,  assisted  me  in  carrying  out  furniture  from  some  of 
the  houses  occupied  by  ladies,  which  were  burned  down,  thereby 
savins;  it  from  destruction.     We  carried  it  out  with  our  own  hands. 

After  hearing  what  I  had  to  say.  Gen.  Nichols  asked  me  if  I 
would  introduce  a  bill  for  the  relief  of  the  Institute  and  mentioned 
that  there  was  a  precedent  for  such  action  in  the  case  of  the  William 
and  Mary  College,  for  which  there  had  been  an  appropriation  made 
as  compensation  for  damages  sustained  during  the  war.  I  told  him 
that  I  was  always  ready  to  cooperate  in  any  measure  of  right  and 
justice,  but  that  it  struck  me  that  the  Virginia  Senators  were  the 
proper  people  to  introduce  such  a  bill,  and  that  I  could  not  do  so 
unless  I  conferred  with  them.  After  talking  to  them,  they  told  me 
that  they  preferred  that  I  should  introduce  the  bill,  as  I  had  been 
present  and  had  a  personal  knowledge  of  what  had  transpired,  and, 
for  this  reason,  they  thought  it  was  more  appropriate  that  I  should 
present  it. 

Under  those  circumstances  I  introduced  the  bill.  I  am  not 
responsible  for  the  amounts  of  the  loss  sustained  by  tlie  Institute. 


.?n 


466  The  Military  History  of 

Those  were  given  to  me  by  Gen.  Nichols,  and  I  assumed  them  to  be 
coiTcct.  He  went  over  them  with  a  great  deal  of  care  and  showed 
me  an  itemized  list,  and  I  put  the  amount  he  gave  in  the  bill. 

Perhaps,  in  order  that  the  committee  may  clearly  understand  the 
whole  situation,  it  would  be  well  to  make  a  brief  statement  of  the 
military  operations  carried  on  around  the  Institute.  Gen.  Hunter 
was  moving  down  the  valley  with  two  divisions  of  troops,  one  of 
infantry  and  the  other  of  cavalry.  We  left  Winchester  and  moved 
south,  with  opposition  of  a  trivial  character,  until  we  came  to  Mount 
Jackson,  where  Gen.  Jones,  who  commanded  the  Confederate  troops, 
was  awaiting  us  in  a  strongly  intrenched  position.  Instead  of  at- 
tacking that  position,  we  made  a  flank  movement  to  the  left,  crossed 
the  James  River  at  Port  Republic,  and  then  moved  toward  the  vil- 
lage of  Piedmont.  Gen.  Jones,  ascertaining  this,  abandoned  his 
position  and  met  us  at  Piedmont  where  we  fought  a  battle  in  which 
M^e  came  off  victorious.     That  was  on  the  5th  of  June. 

The  Chairman.      How  far  is  Piedmont  from  Lexington.^ 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  am  not  aware  of  the  distance.  It  is  a  day's 
march  from  Staunton  to  Lexington.  I  suppose  it  must  be  something- 
like   iO  miles. 

Gen.  Nichols.  They  say  it  is  36  miles  from  Staunton  to 
Lexington. 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  think  probably  from  Piedmont  to  Staunton 
must  be  15  or  20  miles,  and  from  Piedmont  to  Lexington  must  be  at 
least  50  miles. 

At  Staunton  we  waited  several  days  for  the  commands  of  Gen. 
Crook  and  Gen.  Averelbto  join  us  there.  They  gave  us  four  divi- 
sions of  troops,  two  of  infantry  and  two  of  cavalry,  and  we  resumed 
our  march  southward.  Our  force  was  very  much  larger  than  any 
that  the  Confederates  could  bring  against  us,  but  they  resisted  our 
advance  at  various  places  by  small  detachments,  more  for  the  pur- 
pose of  observation  than  with  the  idea  of  giving  us  battle.  Finally 
we  arrived,  on  the  11th  of  June,  opposite  Lexington,  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river,  which  I  think  they  called  the  North  Fork  of  the 
James. 

Senator  Martin.      North  River. 

Senator  du  Pont.  There  we  found  some  troops  in  occupation  of 
tlie  buildings.  Directly  opposite  us  the  nearest  building,  as  I  recall 
it.  was  the  cadet  barracks. 

Senator  Johnson.     The  buildings  of  the  Institute? 

Senator  du  Pont.  Yes.  Some  of  the  enemy  in  that  building 
were  firing  from  the  windows  at  our  skirmishers,  and  finally  they 
fired  a  cannon.  Then  Gen.  Hunter  ordered  me  to  send  a  battery  to 
reply.  I  sent  the  regular  battery,  which  fired  six  shots,  with  delib- 
eration, at  the  cadet  building. 

The  Chairman.      The  Institute  barracks.^ 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  467 

Senator  du  Pont.  Yes;  I  meant  to  say  barracks.  After  firing 
six  shots  we  received  an  order  to  discontinue  firing,  because,  as  I 
understood  it,  the  enemy  had  evacuated  the  town  of  Lexington. 

We  crossed  over  and  took  possession  and  remained  there  the  fol- 
lowing day,  the  12th,  and  I  am  not  very  clear  whether  we  moved 
away  on  the  13th  or  14th.     I  do  not  think  we  left  until  the  14th. 

The  Chairman.  Wliat  about  the  destruction  of  these  buildings, 
Senator  ? 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  am  just  coming  to  that,  Mr.  Chairman. 
Gen.  Hunter,  thereupon,  the  next  day,  issued  various  orders.  One 
was  that  all  the  buildings  of  the  Institute  were  to  be  burned  to  the 
ground.  Another  directed  me,  as  Chief  of  Artillery,  to  destroy — a 
most  ridiculous  thing — some  old  trophies  that  were  there,  one  or 
two  old  French  guns,  among  others,  and  all  entirely  useless. 

The  Chairman.  Before  you  get  to  that.  Senator,  what  damage, 
if  any,  was  done  to  the  buildings  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute 
when  you  fired  on  the  barracks  and  when  resistance  was  being  made 
at  the  barracks.''  What  damage,  if  any,  was  done  to  the  buildings 
of  the  Institute  ? 

Senator  du  Pont.  Some  of  our  shots  went  through  the  building, 
but  I  did  not  ascertain  personally  what  the  damage  was. 

The  Chairman.     You  went  over  there  the  next  day? 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  did  not  examine  particularly,  but  I  saw 
that  the  shots  had  passed  through  the  building,  and  I  have  heard 
since  that  they  did  considerable  damage. 

The  Chairman.     Through  the  barracks? 

Senator  du  Pont.     Through  the  barracks. 

Senator  Bradley.  I  just  heard  an  expression  as  I  came  in  here, 
made  by  you,  with  regard  to  your  thinking  that  there  was  no  good 
reason  to  destroy  these  buildings,  except  some  portion  of  them? 

Senator  du  Pont.     Except  the  cadet  barracks. 

Senator  Bradley.     Are  the  barracks  included  in  this  item? 

Senator  du  Pont.  No;  they  are  not.  I  particularly  excepted 
them  when  I  introduced  the  bill. 

The  order  to  destroy  the  buildings  was  given.  The  buildings  con- 
sisted of  a  library,  philosophical  and  scientific  apparatus,  the  pro- 
fessors' houses,  and  various  minor  structures. 

My  opinion  was  that  the  barracks  should  be  destroyed  under  the 
laws  of  war  for  the  reason  that  the  cadets  who  occupied  those  bar- 
racks were  in  the  field  and  had  met  us  at  the  Battle  of  New  Market 
and  that  they  were  the  quarters  of  a  hostile  force,  even  though  com- 
posed of  boys;  but  I  saw  no  reason  why  the  buildings  of  the 
Institute  devoted  to  educational  purposes  should  be  burned  down. 
That  was  the  general  opinion  of  everybody  there  except  Gen. 
Hunter.  I  know  that  that  was  the  late  President  McKinley's 
opinion. 


468  The  Militaey  History  of 

The  Chairman.  When  the  other  buildings  were  destroyed,  these 
buildings  besides  the  barracks,  there  was  no  armed  resistance  to  the 
Army  of  the  United  States,  was  there? 

Senator  du  Pont.  No.  From  the  time  we  occupied  the  town 
every  one  had  disappeared. 

The  Chairman.     In  what  way  were  the  buildings  destroyed? 

Senator  du  Pont.  They  were  set  on  fire  and  burned  down. 
They  were  all  wooden  buildings  except  the  barracks,  which  was  of 
stone.  I  think  that  was  the  more  permanent  building.  The  others 
were  mostly  wooden  buildings. 

Senator  Martin.     There  may  have  been  some  brick  buildings  ? 

Senator  du  Pont.     There  may  have  been  some  brick  buildings. 

Senator  Johnson.     Were  you  fired  upon  from  the  barracks? 

Senator  du  Pont.  A  few  shots ;  that  is  to  say,  our  troops  were 
fired  upon.  We  were  fired  upon  not  only  from  the  barracks,  but 
from  the  open.  As  we  moved  south  our  advance  was  resisted,  as  I 
said  before,  more  for  the  purpose  of  observation  than  of  giving 
battle.  It  was  not  at  Lexington  alone,  but  wherever  there  was  a 
good  place  from  which  the  Confederates  could  make  a  slight  re- 
sistance, they  did  it — which  was  proper  and  right.  It  was  according 
to  the  laws  of  war,  and  our  side  would  have  done  the  same  thing. 

Senator  Johnson.  You  destroyed  the  garrison  of  a  hostile  force, 
if  the  barracks  in  question  could  be  understood  to  be  such? 

Senator  du  Pont.     I  do  not  quite  understand  your  question. 

Senator  Johnson.  I  say,  you  destroyed  the  garrison  of  a  hostile 
force  ? 

Senator  du  Pont.     The  barracks ;    yes. 

Senator  Johnson.  Was  not  this  military  institute  furnishing 
troops  for  the  field  against  you? 

Senator  du  Pont.  They  were  in  the  field  at  the  Battle  of  New 
Market. 

Senator  Johnson.     Were  the  cadets  in  the  firing  party? 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  do  not  know.  I  only  know  there  were  some 
shots  fired,  but  I  do  not  know  who  the  parties  were  who  fired  them. 
As  I  understand  it,  the  Battalion  of  Cadets  were  not  really  a  part 
of  the  Confederate  forces  in  the  field.  They  were  there  under 
instruction,  but  when  we  advanced  into  their  territory  they  were 
turned  out  to  defend  the  immediate  neighborhood,  or  to  assist  in 
defending  it. 

Senator  James.  You  say  there  was  no  necessity  for  destroying 
the  property  at  all? 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  do  not  think  so.  That  was  my  judgment 
then,  and  it  is  my  judgment  now.  It  did  no  good.  The  moment 
we  destroyed  the  barracks  there  was  no  place  for  the  cadets  to  live, 
unless  they  went  into  tents.     They  could  live  in  tents  anywhere. 

Senator  Bradley.  Did  you  see  anything  of  Senator  Martin 
among  those  cadets? 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  469 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  did  not.  Strange  to  say,  the  only  cadet  of 
the  Virginia  Military  Institute  that  I  have  ever  seen  in  uniform, 
although  I  had  been  in  battle  against  them,  was  a  young  man  who 
came  to  West  Point  when  I  was  there  wearing  his  military  uniform. 
I  think  he  was  the  adjutant  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute.  He 
attracted  a  good  deal  of  attention. 

The  Chairman.  If  Senator  Martin  was  there  he  was  out  of 
sight  when  you  got  across  the  river? 

Senator  du  Pont.      I  did  not  see  him. 

Senator  Martin.  I  was  not  at  all  anxious  to  be  conspicuous 
against  men  like  Senator  du  Pont. 

Senator  Norris.  I  would  like  to  ask  the  Senator  a  question. 
I  wish  to  get  clear  in  my  mind  the  distinguishing  feature  between 
the  barracks  and  this  Institution  and  any  other  building  connected 
with  it,  whether  or  not  it  was  a  professor's  house  or  a  building 
where  the  students  recited  or  where  the  professors  instructed 
the  cadets.  I  want  to  get  in  my  mind  what  your  idea  of  the 
difference  is. 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  will  trj^  to  answer  the  question.  I  knew 
something  about  the  general  scope  of  the  Institute,  because  it  so 
happened  that  the  former  superintendent  was  a  classmate  and  an 
old  friend  of  my  father's.  I  had  seen  him  when  I  was  a  child  at  my 
home  in  Delaware  several  times.  I  had  heard  my  father  speak  of 
the  Institute  and  knew  about  its  general  purpose.  It  was  a  military 
school  only  so  far  as  the  instruction  and  discipline  of  the  pupils 
were  concerned.  Its  purpose,  as  I  understood  it,  was  to  educate 
teachers  for  the  State  of  Virginia.  A  certain  number  of  boys  were 
given  a  free  education  there  in  consideration  of  their  teaching  for  a 
certain  term  of  years  within  the  State  of  Virginia.  It  was  not  the 
only  institution  of  the  kind  in  the  country ;  there  were  numbers  of 
them  in  the  United  States — several  in  New  England.  There  was 
one  near  Philadelphia  as  long  ago  as  1807  or  1808,  conducted  by  a 
man  named  Roumfort.  In  those  days,  you  know,  there  were  no 
athletics,  and  a  great  many  people  thought  that  the  military  exer- 
cises improved  the  boys  physically  and  served  to  keep  them  out  of 
mischief.  That  was  the  idea  of  all  these  schools.  It  was  not  for 
the  purpose  of  educating  the  pupils  to  fight.  We  never  thought  of 
such  a  thing  when  I  was  a  child. 

Senator  Norris.  In  that  connection,  then,  your  idea  is  that  it 
was  at  least  nothing  like  West  Point  or  Annapolis  ? 

Senator  du  Pont.     Not  at  all;  totally  different. 

Senator  Norris.     Was  it  owned  by  the  State  of  Virginia.^ 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  believe  it  was  under  the  patronage  of  the 
State  of  Virginia,  and  encouraged  by  it.  I  do  not  know  the  exact 
relations.  I  know  the  State  of  Virginia  had  certain  authority,  and 
I  think  they  did  something  for  them  financially.  My  impression 
is — Gen.  Nichols  can  correct  me  if  I  am  in  error — that  the  most  of 


470  The  Military  History  of 

the  students  paid  their  way  as  in  any  other  school,  but  there  was  a 
certain  number  of  pupils  that  the  State  of  Virginia  paid  for  in 
consideration  of  their  teaching. 

Senator  Martin.  The  State  owns  it,  and,  under  the  law,  it  is 
permitted  to  receive  donations;  and  I  suppose  there  are  certain 
endowments  contributed  by  private  people  for  this  purpose  of  ad- 
vancing the  cause  of  education. 

Senator  N orris.  I  judged  from  the  bill  that  this  appropriation 
is  requested  for  a  private  school. 

The  Chairman.      It  is  a  corporation  under  the  laws  of  Virginia. 

Senator  Martin.      The  money  would  go  to  this  Institution. 

Senator  Norris.      It  would  go  to  the  State  of  Virginia. 

Senator  Johnson.  The  State  of  Virginia  owns  the  buildings 
now? 

Senator  Martin.  Gen.  Nichols,  when  he  comes  before  the  com- 
mittee, will  explain  that.  My  understanding  is  that  it  is  still  owned 
in  a  sense  by  the  State  of  Virginia,  but  it  is  created  by  law,  with 
certain  rights  and  privileges  for  the  purpose  of  advancing  the  cause 
of  education,  and  donations  are  constantly  made  to  its  library,  to 
its  scientific  apparatus,  and  to  its  several  departments. 

Senator  Johnson.     The  State  makes  appropriations  also? 

Senator  Martin.  The  State  makes  some  appropriations;  for 
instance,  as  Senator  du  Pont  has  explained,  with  reference  to  pajang 
the  expenses  of  certain  pupils  with  the  understanding  that  they 
shall  serve  the  State  as  teachers  for  a  certain  term. 

Senator  du  Pont.     And  they  are  required  to  do  so? 

Senator  Martin.     Yes. 

Senator  du  Pont.  Will  you  allow  me  to  supplement  my  state- 
ment, Mr.  Chairman?  I  have  some  definite  information  now. 
I  stated  that  we  arrived  in  Lexington,  that  is,  the  Union  forces,  on 
the  11th  of  June,  1864.  The  buildings  were  burned  on  the  12th  of 
June,  186i,  the  next  day.  We  stayed  there  two  days,  as  I  thought. 
We  moved  toward  Buchanan  on  the  1  ith.  I  have  sent  for  Gen. 
Hunter's  report. 

The  Chairman.  Senator,  is  there  any  other  statement  you  care 
to  make? 

Senator  Swanson.  Do  you  recall  whether  there  was  a  protest 
by  you  or  any  other  officer  against  the  burning  of  the  buildings  at 
the  time? 

Senator  du  Pont.  There  was  no  protest,  except  the  expression 
of  opinion  among  ourselves. 

Senator  Bradley.     You  did  not  dare  to  make  a  protest,  did  you  ? 

Senator  du  Pont.  It  would  be  a  very  unmilitary  thing  to  do. 
A  soldier  has  to  obey  orders.  He  has  a  perfect  right,  however,  to 
have  his  own  opinion. 

Senator  Bradley.      But  not  to  express  it,  perliaps,  to  the  general.'^ 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  471 

Senator  du  Pont.  He  has  a  right  to  express  his  opinion  in  a 
proper  way  to  his  comrades. 

Senator  Overman.      Did  you  burn  those  buildings? 

Senator  du  Pont.  No,  sir;  they  were  burned  by  order  of  Gen. 
Hunter. 

Senator  James.  Wliat  was  the  general's  idea  in  burning  those 
buildings. 

Senator  du  Pont.  The  general  was  a  very  peculiar  man.  His 
father  was  a  Virginian.  [Laughter.]  That  did  not  make  him  a 
peculiar  man.  But,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  finish  my  sentence,  his 
mother  was  from  Princeton,  N.  J.;  his  father  was  a  clergyman.  I 
do  not  think  he  was  in  pleasant  relations  with  his  Southern  rela- 
tives, of  which  there  were  a  great  number.  He  had  a  most  extra- 
ordinary idea  of  how  to  put  an  end  to  armed  resistance. 

Senator  Martin.     To  put  an  end  to  the  rebellion? 

Senator  du  Pont.     Yes,  sir. 

Senator  Martin.      I  am  not  sensitive  about  that. 

Senator  du  Pont.  Call  it  rebellion,  then,  or  anything  you 
please.  He  was  a  man  of  very  strong  prejudices,  exceedinglj'^ 
strong,  and  he  began  operations  by  burning  his  cousin's  house  at 
Charles  Town.  Why  he  did  that  I  can  not  imagine.  When  we  were 
operating  in  the  valley,  which,  as  you  know,  is  between  two  chains 
of  mountains,  a  valley  from  15  to  30  miles  wide,  the  mountains  were 
occupied  by  Mosby's  guerrillas,  whose  business  it  was  to  try  to 
intercept  our  trains  as  they  moved  down.  They  had  to  be  escorted 
by  convoys,  and  if  they  thought  the  convoy  were  rather  weak,  they 
would  swoop  down  upon  them  and  sometimes  succeed  in  capturing 
the  train. 

Gen.  Hunter's  idea  was — and  you  could  not  get  it  out  of  his 
head — that  the  people  who  were  doing  this  resided  in  the  towns 
nearby,  and  that  the  way  to  stop  the  practice  was  to  burn  down  the 
towns  near  the  points  where  our  trains  were  attacked.  The  truth 
was  that  Mosby's  command  consisted  of  picked  men  from  all  over 
the  South,  and  I  do  not  suppose  that  10  per  cent  of  them  lived  in 
the  vallej'  there.  I  recollect  that  Gen.  Hunter  sent  a  body  of 
cavalry  to  burn  Newtown,  a  large  village,  on  the  ground  that  a 
train  had  been  attacked  within  a  short  distance  of  the  place.  The 
officer  in  command,  having  been  moved  by  the  tears  and  lamenta- 
tions of  the  women  and  children,  did  not  carry  out  his  instructions, 
and  Gen.  Hunter  ordered  him  to  be  dismissed  from  the  service. 
The  burning  of  private  houses  alwa}\s  seemed  to  strongly  appeal 
to  him. 

Upon  our  retreat  from  Lyncliburg,  across  the  mountains  to  the 
Kanawha  Valley,  100  miles  away  from  any  scene  of  military  opera- 
tions, we  arrived  at  the  White  Sulphur  Springs.  We  had  been 
pursued  by  the  Confederates  but  the  enemy  had  ceased  his  pursuit 
and  we  stopped  there  one  day  to  rest,  as  we  were  very  much 
exhausted. 


472  The  Military  History  of 

I  heard  that  the  general  had  ordered  the  place  to  be  burned  down. 
The  buildings  comprised  an  immense  hotel  with  rows  of  cottages  in 
every  direction,  and  could  accommodate  several  thousand  people. 
Going  to  headquarters  about  noon,  after  a  few  remarks,  I  said  to  the 
general:  "I  hear  you  have  ordered  these  buildings  to  be  burned 
down.^"  He  said:  "Yes;  they  are  all  to  be  burned."  Although  I 
believed  this  to  be  a  wanton  and  criminal  destruction  of  private 
property,  knowing  the  man  as  I  did  I  thought  it  was  useless  to 
appeal  to  him  on  any  such  grounds,  so  I  said,  very  quietly:  "Gen- 
eral, do  you  not  think  that  it  would  be  a  military  mistake?"  He 
said:  "What  do  you  mean.''"  "I  mean  this,"  I  said:  "H  hereafter 
we  have  to  occupy  this  country  this  is  quite  a  strategic  point,  as  a 
good  many  roads  converge  here,  and  we  would  find  quarters  for  a 
brigade  of  cavalry  all  ready,  which  would  have  many  advantages 
for  us."  He  looked  at  me  a  minute  and  said:  "Well,  I  had  not 
thought  of  that,"  and  then  called  his  adjutant-general  and  told  him 
to  cancel  the  order. 

That  is  the  waj'^  in  which  the  buildings  at  the  White  Sulphur 
Springs  were  saved;  and  that  is  the  kind  of  man  Gen.  Hunter  was. 
He  was  absolutely  unreasonable. 

The  Chairman.     Is  there  anything  further.  Senator? 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  will  make  one  statement,  which  I  omitted. 
Gen.  Hunter  excepted  the  house  of  the  Superintendent  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Military  Institute  on  the  ground  that  there  was  sickness  in  the 
family.  He  said  that  at  Mrs.  Smith's  house  there  was  illness  and 
that  her  house  was  not  to  be  burned.     He  excepted  that. 

Statement  of  Gen.  E.  W.  Nichols,  Superintendent  of  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute 

The  Chairman.  General,  will  you  kindly  give  your  name  to  the 
stenographer  ? 

Gen.  Nichols.  Gen.  E.  W.  Nichols,  Superintendent  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Military  Institute. 

The  Chairman.  How  long  have  you  been  connected  with  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute. 

Gen.  Nichols.     This  is  my  fortieth  year. 

The  Chairman.  We  shall  be  glad  to  hear  any  statement  you 
may  care  to  make. 

Gen.  Nichols.  Mr.  Chairman  and  gentlemen  of  the  committee, 
there  was  a  bill  introduced  at  the  last  session  of  Congress  which  was 
not  considered  by  the  Claims  Committee.  That  legislation  was 
recommended  to  the  present  Congress.  The  brief  giving  all  the 
facts  is  now  in  the  possession  of  the  committee. 

I  should  like  to  add  these  telegrams  to  the  record  in  the  case. 

This  is  a  telegram  from  Col.  J.  M.  Schoonmaker,  who  destroyed 
the  property  under  orders  of  Gen.  Hunter  and  destroyed  it  under 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  473 

protest.  I  had  hoped  to  have  him  here  to  appear  before  the  com- 
mittee, but  unfortunately  he  made  his  arrangements  to  go  South. 
He  has  promised  that  he  will  appear  at  any  time  that  will  suit  the 
convenience  of  the  committee  on  his  return.  He  will,  however, 
present  a  statement  in  writing. 
T  telegraphed  him  as  follows : 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  5,  1914. 
Col.  J.  M.  Schoonmakeb, 

Ellsworth  and  Morewood  Avenues,  Pittsburgh.  Pa. 
Senate  Claims  Committee  is  having  hearings  on  Senator  du  Font's 
bill  to  reimburse  Virginia  Military  Institute  for  destruction  of  library, 
scientific  apparatus,  and  academic  buildings  by  order  of  Gen.  Hunter 
during  Civil  War.  Du  Pont  suggests  that  I  ask  whether  you  could  appear 
before  committee  Saturday  10  a.  m.  If  not  then,  could  you  come  later? 
Answer  Ebbitt  House,  Washington. 

E.  W.  Nichols, 

S^lperintendent. 

His  reply  is  as  follovrs: 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  February  6.  1914. 
E.  W.  Nichols, 

Ebbitt  House,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Answering  your  wire  even  date,  I  regret  advising  my  inability  to  ap- 
pear before  committee  Saturday,  having  arranged  to  leave  to-morrow  on 
Southern  trip  to  be  absent  balance  of  month.  Any  time,  however,  in 
future,  after  my  return,  that  I  can  be  of  service  to  you  in  direction 
indicated,  will  gladly  do  so. 

J.  M.  Schoonmakeb. 

The  original  telegram  and  the  reply,  Mr.  Chairman,  I  would  like 
to  file  with  the  committee,  as  also  my  telegram  of  February  5th  to 
Senator  Culberson,  and  his  reply  thereto  of  February  6th.     I  will 

read  them. 

February  5,  1914. 
Senator  Charles  A.  Culberson, 
San  Antonio,  Texas. 

Hearing  on  Senator  du  Pont's  bill  to  reimburse  Virginia  Military 
Institute  for  losses  sustained  by  burning  during  Civil  War.  As  a  graduate 
of  Institution  I  wish  to  appeal  to  you  to  wire  me,  my  expense,  Ebbitt 
Hotel,  Washington,  strong  statement  in  support  of  bill  and  record  of 
Institution  to  be  read  to  committee  Saturday,  February  7th,  10  a.  m. 
Friends  of  Institute  active.  Gen.  Wood,  United  States  Army,  will  appear 
before  committee  in  support  of  bill.  Your  support  will  greatly  help 
Senator  Brj^an,  chairman  of  committee. 

Have  been  distressed  by  your  sickness,  and  earnestly  hope  for  your 
restoration  to  health. 

E.  W.  Nichols, 

Superintendent. 

San  Antonio,  Texas,  February  6,  1914. 
Gen.  E.  W.  Nichols, 

Ebbitt  House,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Your  telegram  is  received,  and  I  am  gratified  that  eff^orts  are  being 
made  to  pass  the  du   Pont  bill   without   reference  to   any   legal   questions 


474  The  Military  History  of 

which  may  be  involved  in  the  bill.  Its  passaoe  would  be  a  generous  and 
praiseworthy  act  to  reimburse  the  Institute  for  its  great  loss  by  fire  during 
the  Civil  War  at  the  hands  of  the  Federal  forces.  The  school  is  one  of  the 
finest  in  the  country,  ranked  only  by  West  Point,  and,  as  war  is  not  waged 
against  institutions  of  learning,  this  reimbursement  for  property  destroyed 
in  the  great  conflict  will  be  another  indication  that  only  the  heroism  and 
sacrifices  of  the  two  sections  of  the  Union  ought  to  be  perpetuated. 

C.  A.   CULBEESON. 

Mr.  Chairman^  there  are,  briefly,  only  two  points  from  a  stand- 
point of  equity  and  law  on  which  tliis  claim  for  restitution  is  based. 
The  first  is  the  destruction  of  educational  property  in  accordance 
with  the  usages  of  civilized  warfare.  Second,  in  the  destruction  of 
this  property,  from  an  educational  point  of  view,  with  its  educa- 
tional facilities,  its  library,  its  professors'  quarters,  its  scientific 
apparatus,  its  chemical  laboratories,  its  mineralogical  cabinets,  its 
geological  cabinets,  and  the  various  paraphernalia  incident  to  edu- 
cational institutions,  was  not  such  destruction  in  direct  conflict  with 
President  Lincoln's  orders  to  his  commanders  in  the  field? 

I  think  both  of  those  statements  can  be  substantiated  as  being 
in  conflict  both  with  the  usages  of  civilized  warfare  and  in  direct 
conflict  with  the  orders  of  President  Lincoln. 

Senator  Johnson.  General,  are  you  familiar  with  the  work  of 
the  Institution  during  the  war? 

Gen.  Nichols.      Entirely;    yes,  sir. 

Senator  Johnson.     You  were  not  then  connected  with  it? 

Gen.  Nichols.     No,  sir;    I  was  born  in  1858. 

Senator  Johnson.  Was  its  work  then  the  same  as  that  pursued 
afterwards  ? 

Gen.  Nichols.     The  educational  work  was  continued  throughout. 

Senator  Johnson.  Was  it  not  in  fitting  young  men  to  take  the 
field,  and  particularly  giving  military  instruction? 

Gen.  Nichols.      In  part,  and  in  large  part. 

Senator  Johnson.     Was  not  that  its  chief  purpose? 

Gen.  Nichols.  No;  I  would  not  say  it  Avas  its  chief  purpose. 
It  was  an  educational  institution,  and  was  founded  as  an  educa- 
tional institution;  but  at  that  time  it  was  a  military  institution, 
called  "the  West  Point  of  the  South,"  to  which  hundreds  of  young 
men  from  the  South  came.  It  turned  out  hundreds  of  young  men 
who  went  into  the  service  of  the  Confederate  Army.  It  was  engaged 
as  an  organization  and  called  out  on  several  occasions  to  repel  riots. 
On  one  occasion  it  took  an  active  part  in  the  operations  against 
Federal  forces,  and  in  one  operation,  of  250  men,  20  per  cent  of 
their  number  were  killed  or  wounded.  It  was  not  the  intention  of 
Gen.  Breckinridge  to  put  this  body  of  boys  in  that  battle.  They 
were  put  in  the  third  lines,  but  having  the  hot  heads  of  youth,  they 
could  not  be  kept  there,  and  got  into  the  front  line  and  lost  heavily. 

Putting  that  military  feature  apart,  Mr.  Chairman  and  gentlemen 
of  the  committee,  I  would  like  to  say  that   I   am  not  here  for  the 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  475 

Institution  in  any  light  except  as  an  applicant  for  restitution  as  an 
educational  institution.  That  military  feature  of  it  is  something 
absolutely  aside.  I  would  be  recreant  to  every  better  feeling  of  my 
nature,  recreant  to  ever}'  tradition  of  that  Institution,  if  I  did  not 
say,  sir,  that  so  far  as  the  fighting  was  concerned,  we  are  glad  we 
did  fight  and  sorry  that  we  were  not  more  successful.  But  I  want 
to  say  that  there  is  not  an  institution  in  this  land  that  would  more 
quickly  and  more  gladly  furnish  men  to  the  common  country  and 
for  the  common  flag  than  this  Institution  which  I  represent.  But 
that  is  all  aside,  sir.  It  is  a  question  of  the  educational  features 
of  the  Institution. 

The  Chairman.  Let  me  ask  you  this  question  before  you  go 
further:  Did  the  Institution  continue  to  instruct  its  classes  during 
the  war.'' 

Gen.  Nichols.     Yes^  sir  ;    continuously. 

The  Chairman.  It  was  in  operation,  then,  at  the  time  of  its 
destruction;    it  had  classes? 

Gen.  Nichols.  Yes^  sir;  at  the  Battle  of  New  Market,  which 
occurred  on  the  15th  of  May,  the  young  men  were  sent  from  that 
battle  to  Richmond;,  and  they  were  ordered  back  to  Lexington  to 
resume  their  academic  work,  reaching  Lexington  about  the  10th  of 
June,  or  just  a  day  or  two  before  the  Federal  forces  attacked  the 
place. 

The  Chairman.     Did  that  constitute  the  entire  student  body.'' 

Gen.  Nichols.     Yes,  sir ;    the  entire  student  body. 

Senator  Norris.     What  year  was  that? 

Gen.  Nichols.      1864. 

The  Chairman.  Until  1864,  then,  these  students  had  not  been 
sent  out,  as  a  body,  into  the  Army? 

^  Gen.  Nichols.  No,  sir ;  they  had  been  called  on  from  time  to 
time  to  go  out  and  repel  riots.  They  went  to  Covington  on  one 
occasion,  but  they  were  never  in  conflict  with  any  body  of  troops 
except  on  that  occasion.  They  were  called  again  in  the  winter  of 
1865  to  Richmond.  There  were  educational  facilities  going  on  then 
and  being  taught  there. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  they  were  the  only  body  of  troops 
between  Richmond  and  the  Federal  forces  on  the  3d  of  April.  The 
forces,  of  course,  did  not  know  it,  but  they  were  in  pits  outside  the 
city,  and  they  were  called  in  and  disbanded  in  Richmond  and  they 
went  to  their  homes.  The  Institution  resumed  its  operations  again 
in  the  fall. 

There  is  another  point  of  view,  Mr.  Chairman,  with  reference  to 
this  service  of  the  Institution,  and  I  would  like  to  emphasize  that 
point — the  service  of  the  Institution,  past  and  present. 

The  Institution  was  founded  as  an  educational  institution  in 
1839,  and  in  the   Mexican  War,  in    1846,  that   Institution  had    14- 


476  The  Military  History  of 

officers  in  the  United  States  service.  It  had  more  officers  in  the 
United  States  service  in  that  war  than  all  other  institutions  of  a 
military  character  in  the  United  States  combined^  West  Point,  of 
course,  excepted. 

In  the  War  between  the  States,  whilst  there  was,  of  course,  a 
larger  number  of  these  men  in  the  Confederate  Army  as  officers — 
major-generals,  brigadier-generals,  colonels,  etc. — there  were  some 
of  them  that  were  officers  in  the  Federal  Army.  Since  the  war  the 
Institution  has  had,  and  has  now,  more  officers  in  the  United  States 
Army  as  commissioned  officers  than  all  other  civil  institutions  with 
a  military  feature  attached  in  the  United  States  combined,  except, 
of  course.  West  Point. 

It  had  more  officers  in  the  Spanish-American  War  than  all  other 
military  institutions  in  the  United  States  combined — military  insti- 
tutions or  civil-military  institutions.  This  information  I  get  from 
the  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army.  To-day  the  Institute  is  furnishing, 
as  it  has  during  the  past  several  years,  more  men  to  the  National 
Guard  throughout  the  country  than  all  other  institutions  of  the 
country  combined.  The  Institute  is  not  a  local  institution.  It  has 
40  states  represented  and  5  foreign  countries.  The  number  of 
applicants  is  largely  in  excess  of  its  ability  to  accommodate. 

Last  year  it  had  the  distinction  of  graduating  a  man  who  took 
the  Jackson-Hope  medal,  a  medal  combining  military  and  civil 
qualifications.  This  was  taken  by  a  young  man  from  Yonkers,  N.  Y. 
The  second  man  in  the  class  of  last  year  was  a  man  from  Iowa.  He 
received  the  alternative  appointment  from  the  Institute  to  the 
United  States  Army.  He  did  not  receive  the  direct  appointment, 
but  he  is  now  an  officer  in  the  service  of  the  United  States  in  its 
Marine  Corps.  We  have  young  men  from  Massachusetts,  California, 
from  all  the  border  states  on  the  north,  and  from  the  Western 
States.  In  other  words,  40  states  of  the  48  that  constitute  the  Union 
were  represented  there  last  year. 

Those  young  men  are  going  out  into  the  National  Guard  of  the 
country;  and  I  want  to  say  this,  that  there  is  a  movement  here  in 
the  War  Department,  one  in  which  all  of  us  are  interested,  to  form 
a  reserve  corps  in  case  of  this  country's  need,  either  for  aggressive 
or  defensive  operations.  I  am  perfectly  sure  that  there  is  no  single 
interest  that  the  War  Department  is  more  interested  in  fostering 
than  this  Institution,  because  we  are  sending  out  young  men  trained 
under  the  West  Point  system,  having  had  four  years  of  rigid  military 
life,  who  are  abundantly  able  by  experience  and  instruction  to  take 
charge  of  volunteers  if  volunteers  are  called  into  the  service. 

I  am  glad  to  say  that  Gen.  Wood  has  expressed  not  only  his 
willingness,  but  his  desire,  if  called,  to  appear  before  this  committee 
and  tell  you  of  the  service  the  Institution  is  rendering  to  the  General 
Government. 


The  Vieginia  Military  Institute  477 

Gentlemen,  here  is  a  body  of  men,  representative  men  from  our 
common  country,  happily  now  united.  This  claim  is  based  simply 
upon  the  destruction  of  the  property  of  that  Institution  as  an  edu- 
cational institution.  You  will  not  misunderstand  me  when  I  say 
that  whilst  it  is  true  that  those  of  the  alumni  of  that  Institution,  if 
called  to  serve  their  common  country  now,  would  flock  to  the  colors 
as  a  man,  I  want  to  emphasize  the  fact,  with  all  the  feeling  that  is 
in  me,  with  all  the  pride  of  traditions  connected  with  that  Institu- 
tion and  as  a  representative  of  the  alumni,  that  we  have  no  apologies 
to  make,  sir,  for  anything  that  was  done  by  that  Institution  during 
the  Civil  War. 

The  Chairman.  I  want  to  ask  you  one  or  two  questions  about 
the  amount  carried  in  the  bill.  There  is  an  item  here  of  $82,392.78 
for  interest.  It  is  not  customary  to  pay  any  interest  on  these  claims. 
The  interest  is  based,  I  should  say,  on  6  per  cent  on  $137,000.  I 
presume  that  amount  represents  the  value  of  the  buildings  at  the 
time  of  their  destruction.  Will  you  indicate  to  the  committee  how 
the  amount  of  a  hundred  and  twenty-eight  tliousand  and  odd  dollars, 
which  is  claimed  to  be  the  amount  charged  to  the  building  account 
on  the  treasurer's  books  from  June,  1866,  to  June,  1873,  is  ar- 
rived at.^ 

Gen.  Nichols.  Yes,  sir.  Unfortunately,  in  the  destruction  of 
the  property  the  archives  were  also  destroyed  in  1864.  In  the 
burning  of  the  buildings  all  the  old  books  were  destroyed,  and  the 
only  way  we  could  get  at  that  was  from  a  report  by  Col.  Walter  H. 
Taylor,  who  was  a  member  of  our  Board  of  Visitors.  He  was  Chief 
of  Staff,  you  will  recall,  to  Gen.  Lee — one  of  the  high-minded  men 
of  the  State.  There  was  also  Col.  Beall.  That  committee  was  the 
finance  committee  of  our  Board  of  Visitors.  They  made  a  report  in 
1872,  giving  the  cost  of  reconstruction.  We  had  no  means  of  get- 
ting at  the  actual  cost,  because  the  property  had  accumulated  there 
for  25  years.  I  put  all  the  facts  that  we  had  in  this  report  of  Col. 
Taylor  in  the  hands  of  the  old  treasurer  of  the  Institute,  who  came 
there  as  treasurer  in  1872 — Maj.  Thomas  M.  Wade — and  asked  him 
to  make  up  that  report  from  the  books  that  were  available  and  from 
the  reports  of  the  finance  committee  of  the  Board  of  Visitors.  That 
report  is  a  report  by  him,  and  as  to  details  of  it,  sir,  I  am  frank  to 
say,  I  am  perfectly  ignorant.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  it, 
except  that  the  old  treasurer  made  up  the  report. 

The  Chairman.  One  other  question.  Do  you  place  the  cost  of 
the  buildings  that  were  erected  after  the  destruction  of  the  former 
buildings  by  Gen.  Hunter  at  the  actual  cost.^ 

Gen.  Nichols.     Yes,  sir. 

The  Chairman.  Are  they  better  buildings  than  those  which 
were  destroyed? 

Gen.  Nichols.  They  were  built  on  the  same  foundations.  They 
are  all  brick  buildings  with  stone  trimmings. 


4Y8  The  Military  History  or 

The  Chairman.  Senator  du  Pont  said  that  his  recollection  was 
that  all  the  buildings  except  the  barracks  were  frame  or  wooden 
buildings  ? 

Gen.  Nichols.  The  Senator  is  mistaken.  There  are  no  frame 
buildings  on  the  ground. 

The  Chairman.     What  were  they? 

Gen.  Nichols.     They  were  brick  buildings  with  stone  trimmings. 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  had  forgotten  that.  I  thought  they  were 
probably  frame. 

Gen.  Nichols.     No,  sir;   no  frame  buildings. 

The  Chairman.  Have  you  ever  learned,  and  if  so.  can  you  state 
the  number  of  buildings  destroyed.'' 

Gen.  Nichols.     There  were  four  buildings. 

The  Chairman.  Were  the  barracks  which  were  destroyed  built 
on  the  same  foundation  as  the  present  barracks? 

Gen.  Nichols.     Yes,  sir. 

The  Chairman.     And  covered  as  much  space? 

Gen.  Nichols.  Yes,  sir;  covered  as  much  space  as  when  you 
were  a  student  there.     We  have  added  to  the  buildings  since  then. 

Senator  Norris.  Was  the  material  of  the  old  buildings  used  in 
the  construction  of  the  new  ? 

Gen.  Nichols.  Yes,  sir;  as  far  as  it  could  be.  The  cost  of 
material  in  the  reconstruction  period,  after  the  war,  was  very  high, 
as  was  everything  else.     It  was  difficult  to  obtain. 

Senator  Norris.  The  brick  and  the  stone,  or  a  great  share  of  it, 
of  course,  could  be  used  again,  and  was,  I  presume. 

Gen.  Nichols.     All  that  could  be  used  was  used;  yes,  sir. 

Senator  Norris.  In  estimating  the  amount,  is  that  taken  into 
consideration?  Is  there  any  credit  given  for  the  material  that  was 
afterwards  used? 

Gen.  Nichols.  I  really  could  not  tell  you,  Senator.  That  is  a 
report  of  the  finance  committee  and  the  Board  of  Visitors,  based 
upon  the  Superintendent's  reports  in  a  general  way.  In  those  re- 
ports of  the  old  Superintendent  he  would  have  charged  up  even 
$1.25  for  labor  for  a  day  and  every  little  item  entering  into  the 
thing.  As  to  whether  credit  was  given  for  the  old  material,  I  can 
not  say. 

Mr.  Flood.  General,  is  not  this  a  statement  of  the  cost  of  re- 
construction ? 

Gen.  Nichols.     Yes,  sir. 

Senator  Martin.     Actual  expenditures? 

Gen.  Nichols.      I  suppose  that  they  would  be. 

The  Chairman.  I  would  like  to  state  in  the  hearings  at  this 
point,  that  if  interest  be  excluded  the  total  amount  of  the  claim 
would  be  $137,321.31. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  479 

Statement  of  Maj.-Gen.  Leonard  Wood,  Chief  of  Staff, 

United  States  Army 

Gen.  Wood.  I  should  be  very  glad  to  answer  any  questions  I 
can  about  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  Mr.  Chairman. 

I  can  say  that  we  in  the  service  regard  that  Institution  as  being, 
next  to  West  Point,  the  best  military  school  in  the  country.  We 
consider  it  to  be  a  very  valuable  military  asset,  both  in  the  way  of 
training  officers  for  the  regular  service,  and  in  training  men  who 
would  be  available  as  officers  in  case  of  necessity.  It  is  an  institu- 
tion which  for  a  considerable  number  of  years  has  been  what  we  call 
our  star  institution.  I  have  had  occasion  to  see  a  good  deal  of  the 
work  of  its  officers,  both  in  this  country  and  in  the  Philippines  and 
Cuba;  and  while  I  had  personally  never  seen  anything  of  the 
Institute  until  a  few  years  ago,  I  had  formed  a  very  high  opinion  of 
the  efficiency  of  its  graduates,  and  I  feel  that  in  the  Army  we  look 
upon  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  as  about  the  best  of  our  militar}^ 
schools,  and  we  are  always  glad  to  get  hold  of  its  officers.  They 
are  men  that  are  well  disciplined  and  well  instructed,  and  so  far  as 
I  have  seen  anything  of  them  they  are  very  high-class  men,  and  they 
speak  well  for  the  Institution,  and  the  instruction  they  receive. 

Senator  James.  It  furnished  a  good  many  officers  in  the  War 
with  Spain,  did  it  not? 

Gen.  Wood.  It  furnished  a  considerable  number,  Senator.  I 
could  not  tell  you  offhand  how  many.  But  it  began  to  supply  officers 
to  the  country,  I  think,  with  the  Mexican  War;  there  were  10  or  11, 
and,  of  course,  a  good  many  in  the  Civil  War,  some  being  on  the 
Northern  side ;    a  considerable  number,  I  think. 

I  think  the  Institute  draws  its  pupils  from  all  over  the  countr3^ 
It  is  very  democratic,  and  the  expenses  are  remarkably  low,  con- 
sidering the  type  of  the  school  and  the  high  standards  maintained. 

In  the  War  with  Spain  there  were  a  considerable  number  of 
officers  from  that  Institution.  I  remember  two  who  came  under  my 
personal  observation.  One  was  a  most  capable  engineer,  so  capable 
that  he  was  made  the  chief  engineer  for  important  research  work 
in  the  eastern  half  of  Cuba.  He  displayed  really  very  great 
capacity.  He  is  now  captain  in  the  Eleventh  Cavalry,  I  think.  The 
other  one  was  young  Longstreet.  He  was  down  there  in  the  early 
days.  He  also  was  a  very  capable  officer.  Those  two  came  under 
my  personal  observation.     All  of  them  have  been  a  good  lot  of  men. 

Senator  Pittman.  Are  vou  familiar  with  the  historv  of  the  de- 
struction  of  these  buildings  ? 

Gen.  Wood.  Only  in  a  very  general  way,  sir.  I  know  they  were 
destroyed  during  the  war.  but  I  know  nothing  of  the  details. 

Senator  Pittman.  For  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  something  of 
the  usages  of  civilized  nations  in  warfare,  I  should  like  to  know  if  it 
is  in  accordance  with  such  usages  to  destroy  institutions  of  learning.'' 


480  The  Military  History  of 

Gen.  Wood.      I  should  say  not. 

Senator  Pittman.  Even  if  those  institutions  be  military  in  char- 
acter, purely? 

Gen.  Wood.     That,  Senator,  would  be  a  pretty  difficult  question 

to  answer. 

Senator  Norris.  I  would  like  to  inquire  of  you,  General:  Sup- 
pose the  Confederate  forces  had  captured  West  Point,  would  they 
have  been  justified  in  destroying  the  buildings  of  the  military  in- 
stitute there? 

Gen.  Wood.     No,  sir;    I  would  not  say  so. 

Senator  Norris.  That  would  be  contrary  to  the  recognized 
principle  that  prevails  in  civilized  warfare,  would  it  not? 

Gen.  Wood.  I  would  say  it  would  be  rather  outside  that  prin- 
ciple. Of  course  we  come  to  a  rather  narrow  dividing  line,  as  to 
whether  it  is  a  means  of  successfully  carrying  on  the  war  through 
the  instruction  of  officers. 

Senator  Norris.  I  presume  that  is  the  question,  and  I  think  it 
is  involved  in  this  case. 

Gen.  Wood.  Yes,  sir;  but  I  should  doubt  the  propriety  of  the 
destruction  of  an  institution  of  that  sort,  because  it  would  involve, 
for  instance,  the  destruction  of  all  our  colleges  where  the  military 
art  is  taught.  That  would  be  the  next  step.  All  our  agricultural 
and  mechanical  colleges  in  the  country  would  be  subject  to  de- 
struction, under  the  same  general  rules.  I  think  the  answer  would 
be.  No. 

Senator  Norris.  I  should  hardly  think  you  would  class  an  agri- 
cultural college  with  a  military  institution. 

Gen.  Wood.  I  refer  to  those  colleges  where  they  maintain  or- 
ganized regiments  of  trained  men  as  commissioned  officers.  Take 
the  Ohio  State  University,  for  instance.  It  maintains  a  regiment  of 
from  thirteen  to  fifteen  hundred  men.  The  number  varies.  Those 
men  are  all  being  trained  so  as  to  be  available  in  time  of  need. 

Senator  Norris.  We  have  right  here  in  the  District  organiza- 
tions in  high  schools.  They  are  military  organizations,  but  I  do  not 
suppose  any  one  would  claim  that  the  high  schools  of  the  District 
were  military  institutions  of  that  kind. 

Gen.  Wood.  No;  I  think  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  is  not 
a  military  institution.  It  is  a  school  of  broad  general  culture  and 
engineering  skill. 

Mr.  Flood.  The  Virginia  Military  Institute  was  an  agricultural 
school  prior  to  the  Civil  War. 

Senator  Martin.  If  you  will  excuse  me  just  for  an  interruption 
there.  I  do  not  suppose  that  there  is  one-fiftieth  of  the  time  of  the 
school  devoted  to  military  training  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute. 
The  time  is  almost  all  devoted  to  literary  and  scientific  work,  and 
the  time  actually  given  to  the  art  of  war  is  very  small  as  compared 
with  the  whole  time. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  481 

Gen.  Nichols.  It  is  not  designed  to  prepare  men  for  the  pro- 
fession of  arms.  That  was  never  its  object.  It  was  designed  as  an 
educational  institution.  It  has  this  military  feature  attached  to  it, 
and  the  system  is  patterned  after  the  system  at  West  Point.  It 
was  founded  by  West  Point  men,  and  the  military  feature  is  an 
element  of  education.  Under  that  system  men  learn  to  do  life's 
duty  properly,  thoroughly,  and  efficiently.  They  learn  to  obey,  and 
hence  they  learn  to  command.  Then,  take  the  democratic  feature  of 
the  life ;  they  are  all  dressed  in  the  same  uniform  and  rub  elbows 
with  each  other.  The  men  take  their  places  in  the  world  in  ad- 
vantageous circumstances.  All  those  are  educational  features. 
True,  as  this  record  shows,  the  Institution  does  prepare  men  for 
the  profession  of  arms;    but  that  is  an  incident. 

Senator  Norris.  I  am  very  interested  in  knowing  what  the  facts 
were  at  the  time  of  its  destruction.  I  do  not  care  particularly  what 
it  does  now ;  but  at  that  time,  for  instance,  was  every  student  who 
was  admitted  there  trained  in  military  affairs?  Was  that  one  of 
the  necessary  things .'' 

Gen.  Nichols.      It  was. 

Senator  Johnson.  I  am  asked  to  vote  for  damages  for  this 
Institution  because  of  the  destruction  of  its  property — the  property 
of  an  educational  institution.  Attention  is  called  to  its  library  and 
its  scientific  apparatus.  Of  course,  I  would  like  to  know  what  work 
this  Institution  was  doing  during  the  Civil  War  and  at  this  particu- 
lar time.  Its  character  may  have  been  different  before  or  since  the 
war. 

Senator  Martin.  If  you  will  excuse  me  for  interrupting — I  was 
there  at  that  time.  It  was  doing  educational  work  then  just  as  it  is 
now,  except  I  have  no  doubt  it  has  progressed,  just  as  all  institu- 
tions of  learning  have  made  advances  and  progress.  But  the  Vir- 
ginia Military  Institute  at  that  time  was  doing  work  on  exactly  the 
same  line  that  it  is  doing  work  now.  I  mean,  during  the  war,  at 
the  very  time  of  its  destruction,  the  educational  features  were  main- 
tained and  pursued  with  the  same  regularity  and  diligence  as  before 
and  at  the  present  time. 

Senator  Johnson.  But  the  young  men  were  called  out  to  repel 
invasions,  and  they  took  part  in  one  or  two  battles  as  a  force  from 
that  Institution. 

Senator  Martin.  There  is  a  military  feature,  and  a  very  valu- 
able one,  that  has  been  shown  here. 

Senator  Johnson.      I  mean  at  that  particular  time. 

Senator  Martin.     And  it  is  exactly  the  same  now. 

Senator  Johnson.  They  were  called  out  and  formed  part  of  the 
Confederate  forces,  and  took  part  in  the  war 

Senator  Martin.  And  they  are  ready  to  respond  right  now. 
They  have  had  a  training  that  fits  them  for  that  duty. 


31 


482  The  Military  History  of 

Senator  Johnson.  I  understand  that,  but  I  am  only  getting  at 
what  the  real  facts  were  at  the  time  when  they  were  classed  as 
hostiles. 

Senator  Pittman.  That  Institution  was  not  conducted  during 
that  period,  or  at  any  time,  with  the  one  particular  object  in  view  of 
supplying  the  Confederate  Army  with  soldiers. 

Senator  Martin.  Its  organization  did  not  change  at  all  during 
the  Civil  War.  It  was  no  more  a  military  school  during  the  Civil 
War  than  it  was  10  years  before  the  war. 

Senator  Bradley.  Was  there  any  more  time  devoted  to  military 
training  during  that  period  than  was  devoted  to  it  before  the  war 
or  has  been  since  the  war? 

Senator  Martin.     Not  one  bit;    in  my  judgment. 

The  Chairman.     It  was  just  the  same? 

Senator  Martin.     Just  the  same. 

Mr.  Flood.  The  University  of  Virginia  equipped  a  company  at 
the  same  time. 

Senator  Martin.  Yes;  but  thej^  had  not  the  training  that  this 
Institution  had. 

Senator  Norris.  I  think  there  is  a  distinction  between  a  college 
with  the  military  feature  attached  as  the  principal  thing  and  one  in 
which  it  is  only  incidental. 

Senator  Martin.  For  the  information  of  the  Senator  and  of  the 
committee,  as  a  cadet  there  during  the  war,  at  the  very  time  it  was 
destroyed  I  was  in  sight  of  it.  and  I  can  say  that  at  that  time  the 
military  feature  was  no  more  conspicuous  than  it  had  been  before 
the  war,  and  no  more  conspicuous  than  it  has  been  since  the  war 
ended.  It  was  going  along  with  its  regular  systematic  training  of 
young  men  as  it  has  been  doing  since  the  war.  and  it  was  not  changed 
during  the  war. 

The  Chairman.  I  think  it  would  be  valuable  to  have  Gen.  Wood 
put  into  the  record  at  this  point  the  requirements  of  land-grant 
colleges. 

Is  it  not  a  fact,  General,  that  in  every  land-grant  college,  under 
the  act  of  1862,  military  instruction  is  required? 

Gen.  Wood.  That  is  my  understanding,  sir ;  that  it  is  required. 
There  is  no  specified  amount. 

The  Chairman.  I  think  you  will  find  that  at  least  three  hours  of 
drill  per  week  are  required.  That  is  the  minimum  requirement. 
Some  have  more. 

Gen.  Wood.  We  are  now  looking  into  that.  Senator.  It  was 
recommended  that  the  War  Department  take  up  the  supervision 
and  regulation  of  those  courses,  and  the  argument  was  advanced 
that  the  colleges  were  established  in  order  to  prevent  the  condition 
which  was  found  to  exist  at  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  War;  that 
one  of  the  main  objects  was  that  there  might  be  officers  prepared  to 
command  volunteers  in  case  of  anv  trouble. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  483 

The  Chairman.  There  is  a  commandant  at  each  land-grant  col- 
lege, is  there  not? 

Gen.  Wood.  Yes,  sir;  which  has  a  military  feature  varying 
from  the  minimum  which  you  mention  to  a  maximum. 

There  is  one  thing  I  might  say,  with  your  permission,  sir,  about 
the  Virginia  Military  Institute.  I  spoke  of  it  as  a  school  which  was 
devoted  largely  to  engineering  and  civil  sciences  of  various  descrip- 
tions. It  is  also  my  recollection  that  the  boys  who  receive  the 
benefit  of  training  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  through  State 
appointments  are  required  to  teach  in  the  schools  of  Virginia  for  a 
number  of  years  afterwards  to  compensate  the  State  for  the  money 
expended  on  their  education.  I  think  that  its  formation  as  an  or- 
ganization is  not  dissimilar  to  Norwich  University,  in  New  England, 
which  sent  some  seven  hundred  of  its  graduates  into  the  war  as 
officers  and  non-commissioned  officers.  There  we  have  a  distinct 
military  organization,  and  yet  it  is  in  every  essential  a  college  or 
educational  institution  training  men  for  civil  life. 

Senator  Pittman.  General,  just  one  other  question.  You  have 
heard  the  statement  of  the  facts  by  Senator  Martin  with  regard  to 
the  condition  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  at  the  time  of  its 
destruction  and  the  character  of  its  work.  Are  you  willing  to  give 
it  as  your  opinion  that  the  destruction,  under  such  circumstances, 
was  unnecessary  and  not  in  accordance  with  the  general  usages  of 
civilized  nations  in  war.'' 

Gen.  Wood.  I  should  say  that  it  was  not  in  accordance  with  the 
usage  of  civilized  nations  in  war.  I  should  regard  it  very  much  as 
I  should  regard  the  destruction  of  Norwich  University  if  the 
Confederates  had  gotten  up  into  that  part  of  the  country  and 
destroyed  it. 

Senator  Norris.  Have  you  examined  the  records  ?  I  should 
think  there  ought  to  be  a  report  from  Gen.  Hunter  and  the  other 
men  who  destroyed  the  buildings. 

Gen.  Wood.  I  have  not.  I  came  up  this  morning  to  testify  as 
to  the  general  character  of  the  institution  and  its  standing  in  the 
Army. 

Senator  Norris.  It  seems  to  me  that  it  would  be  a  good  thing 
to  have  the  official  report  of  the  destruction.  Senator  du  Pont  stated 
that  it  was  done  under  protest.  I  think  that  ought  to  be  in  the 
records  of  the  War  Department. 

Gen.  Wood.  If  the  committee  would  like  to  have  them,  I  will 
make  a  search. 

Senator  Martin.  I  should  hardly  suppose  you  could  find  such 
a  record.  I  suppose  it  would  be  a  breach  of  discipline  for  a  sub- 
ordinate to  protest  under  such  circumstances. 

Senator  Norris.  I  understood  the  Senator  to  say  that  he  carried 
out  the  instructions  under  protest. 


484  The  Military  History  of 

Senator  Martin.  Verbally,  to  his  superior  officer — that  he  did 
not  think  it  ought  to  be  done.  But  I  should  hardly  think  it  was 
consistent  with  military  discipline  for  a  subordinate  to  file  a  written 
protest  against  his  superior  officer. 

Gen.  Nichols.  Probably  Senator  du  Pont  would  know  more 
about  that  side  of  the  question. 

Senator  du  Pont.  If  the  committee  will  permit  me  to  interrupt, 
I  would  be  glad  to  read  an  extract  from  Gen.  Hunter's  report. 

Senator  Bradley.     What  book  have  you  there,  Senator? 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  am  reading  from  the  House  Miscellaneous 
Documents,  first  session.  Fifty-second  Congress,  1891-92,  volume 
13,  containing  Gen.  Hunter's  report  of  his  operations.  I  would  like, 
with  the  committee's  permission,  to  read  that  part  of  tlie  report 
referring  to  the  destruction  of  the  military  institute: 

On  the  12th  I  also  burned  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  and  all  the 
buildings  connected  with  it.  1  found  here  a  violent  and  inflammatory 
proclamation  from  John  Letcher,  lately  governor  of  Virginia,  inciting  the 
population  of  the  country  to  rise  and  wage  a  guerrilla  warfare  on  my 
troops,  and,  ascertaining  that  after  having  advised  his  fellow-citizens  to 
this  course  the  ex-governor  had  himself  ignominiously  taken  to  flight,  I 
ordered  his  property  to  be  burned  under  my  order,  published  May  24th, 
against  persons  practicing  or  abetting  such  unlawful  and  uncivilized 
warfare. 

Senator  Martin.  Excuse  me  for  saying  right  there  that  of 
course  that  was  written  in  the  excitement  of  the  war.  I  do  not 
believe  we  would  attribute  to  Gov.  Letcher  any  ignominious  flight 
under  any  circumstances. 

Senator  du  Pont.  I  read  this  because  Senator  Norris  wanted 
the  official  report.  That  is  all  there  is  in  the  records  about  the 
matter. 

Senator  Martin.  With  the  shells  of  Senator  du  Pont  flying 
around,  it  is  likely  that  they  got  out  as  fast  as  they  could,  but  I  do 
not  think  I  could  exactly  admit  that  it  was  an  ignominious  flight. 

Senator  Bradley.      It  was  a  hurried  departure? 

Senator  Martin.     That  is  it — a  leave-taking. 

The  Chairman.  Is  there  anything  further  to  bring  before  the 
committee  on  this  subject? 

Senator  Martin.  I  do  not  think  there  is.  I  believe  there  is 
nothing  that  I  desire  to  add  to  anything  that  has  been  said.  I  think 
that  ends  the  hearing,  Mr.  Chairman. 

The  Chairman.     Very  well.     We  will  adjourn  at  this  time. 

(Whereupon,  at  11:45  o'clock  a.  m.,  the  committee  adjourned.) 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  4tS5 


APPENDIX  E 

PREPARED    BY    JOS.    R.    ANDERSON. 

CONFEDERATE  OFFICERS  FROM  THE  VIRGINIA 
MILITARY  INSTITUTE 

Major-Generals 

Robert  E.  Rodes.     (Killed  in  battle.) 
William  Mahone. 
W.  Y.  C.  Humes. 

Total,  3. 

Brigadier-Generals 

Gabriel  C.  Wharton. 

John  Echols. 

R.  Lindsay  Walker. 

R.  E.  Colston. 

J.  R.  Jones. 

Samuel  Garland.      (Killed  in  battle.) 

William  H.  Payne.      (Seriously  wounded.) 

William  R.  Terry.     (Seriously  wounded.) 

A.  C.  Jones. 

A.  J.  Vaughan.     (Lost  a  leg.) 

Thomas  T.  Munford. 

James  A.  Walker. 

James  H.  Lane. 

John  McCausland. 

James  B.  Terrill.     (Killed  in  battle.) 

Birkett  D.  Fry.     (Seriously  wounded.) 

James  E.  Slaughter. 

Total,  17. 

Colonels    92 

Lieutenant-Colonels 64 

Majors    107 

Captains 306 

Lieutenants    221 

In  the  above  are  included: 

General   R.   L.   Walker,   Chief  of  Artillery,   Army  of  Northern 
Virginia. 


486  The  Military  History  of 

Colonel  Stapleton  Crutchfield,  Chief  of  Artillery,  Stonewall 
Jackson's  Corps. 

Colonel  Thomas  H.  Carter,  Chief  of  Artillery,  Early's  Army. 

Colonel  Briscoe  G.  Baldwin,  Chief  of  Ordnance,  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia. 

Colonel  Walter  H.  Taylor,  Adjutant-General  to  General  R.  E. 
Lee. 

Colonel  Edwin  J.  Harvie,  Inspector  General  to  General  Joseph 
E.  Johnston. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  R.  P.  Chew,  Chief  of  Horse  Artillery,  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia. 

Major  Giles  B.  Cooke,  Asst.  Adjutant-General  to  General  R.  E. 
Lee. 

Major  A.  R.  H.  Ranson,  Asst.  Chief  Ordnance,  Army  of  North- 
ern Virginia. 

N.  B.- — Of  the  total  number  of  eUves  who  served  in  the  Con- 
federate Army,  45 y2  per  cent  were  officers,  and  all  living  eleves 
but  121  volunteered;  15  of  that  number  served  in  the  U.  S.  Army. 
Up  to  April,  1865,  there  had  been  2,013  matriculates. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  487 


APPENDIX  F 

PREPARED    BY    JOS.    R.    ANDERSON. 

V.   M.   I.  ALUMNI   IN   FOREIGN  ARMIES— BEFORE    1861 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  some  of  our  Gradutes  and  Eleves 
performed  distinguished  service  in  the  Military  Establishment  of 
Foreign  Countries;  and  it  is  fitting  that  their  names,  and  the 
memory  of  their  deeds,  should  be  preserved.  With  pride,  we 
present  them  here. 

Beverley  T.  Hunter,  of  Virginia — Matriculated  18-tl.  Lieu- 
tenant in  Lopez's  Army  to  free  Cuba.  Killed  August  18,  1851. 
(See  sketch  in  chapter  entitled,  "The  Institute's  Contribution  to 
the  Mexican  War.") 

BiRKETT  D.  Fry,  of  Virginia — Matriculated  1840.  General  in 
Walker's  Nicaraguan  Army.  (See  brief  sketch  in  chapter  entitled, 
"The  Institute's  Contribution  to  the  Mexican  War.") 

William  R.  Whitehead,  of  Virginia — Graduated  1851.  Son  of 
Colonel  William  B.  Whitehead  and  his  wife,  Emeline  F.  Riddick, 
of  Nansemond  County.  Descended  from  a  distinguished  ancestry. 
Great-great-grandson  of  Captain  Jason  Riddick,  of  the  Revolution. 
Following  are  interesting  extracts  from  the  sketch  of  his  career 
furnished  the  author  by  the  Official  Historiographer  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute: 

"After  graduating  at  the  Institute,  William  Riddick  Whitehead 
spent  one  year  at  the  University  of  Virginia,  studying  medicine, 
and  graduated  with  the  degree  of  M.  D.,  the  following  year,  at  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania.  He  then  went  to  Paris,  France,  to 
continue  his  medical  studies ;  but,  the  Crimean  War  having  broken 
out,  he  determined  to  pursue  his  studies  on  the  battlefield.  He 
was  cordially  received  by  Prince  Gortchacoft",  the  Russian  Am- 
bassador to  the  Austrian  Court,  at  Vienna,  who  gave  him  letters  of 
introduction  to  his  cousin,  Prince  Gortchacoff.  the  Commander-in- 
Chief  of  the  Armies  of  Southern  Russia;  and  Dr.  Whitehead  re- 
ceived the  appointment  of  Staff  Surgeon  in  the  Russian  Army.  His 
fluent  command  of  the  French  language  gave  him  many  social  ad- 
vantages among  the  cultivated  Russians  at  Odessa,  where  he  was 
first  posted.  There,  he  came  under  the  friendly  guidance  of  the 
great  surgeon,  Perigoff;  and  his  earnest  application  to  his  duties 
won  the  confidence  of  the  distinguished  surgeon,  and  his  associates. 


488  The  Military  History  of 

"He  served  to  the  end  of  the  War;  and  on  the  recommendation 
of  Dr.  Perigoff  and  Prince  Gortchacoff,  he  received,  by  order  of  the 
Emperor,  the  Cross  of  Knight  of  the  Imperial  Russian  Order  of 
St.  Stanislaus. 

"Returning  to  Paris,  Dr.  Whitehead  registered  as  an  Eleve  de 
I'Ecole  de  Medecine  de  Paris,  and  studied  diligently  until  1860; 
when,  having  written  his  French  thesis,  as  required,  and  having 
passed  his  examination  creditably,  he  received  the  degree  of 
Docteur  en  Medecine  de  la  Facidte  de  Paris. 

"Returning  to  the  United  States,  he  settled  in  New  York,  and 
was  elected  Professor  of  Clinical  Medicine  in  the  New  York 
Medical  College. 

"After  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter,  he  returned  to  his  native  state, 
Virginia,  and  was  appointed  by  President  Davis  a  lieutenant  in  the 
battalion  which  was  intended  as  a  nucleus  for  the  regular  Con- 
federate Army.  This  organization,  however,  was  never  completed ; 
and,  subsequently,  President  Davis,  at  the  request  of  its  colonel, 
and  other  officers  of  the  regiment,  appointed  him  surgeon  of  the 
44th  Virginia  Infantry.  He  served  about  two  years  with  this  regi- 
ment, and  rose  successively  to  senior  surgeon  of  the  brigade  and 
acting  surgeon  of  the  division,  and,  at  the  close  of  the  W^ar,  was 
president  of  an  Examining  Board  in  South  Carolina  for  examina- 
tion of  conscripts  and  disabled  soldiers. 

"At  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  Dr.  Whitehead  had  the 
wounded  Stonewall  Jackson  placed  in  an  ambulance  which  was 
already  occupied  by  his  chief  of  artillery.  Colonel  Stapleton  Crutch- 
field,  badly  wounded.  Both  of  these  distinguished  wounded  officers 
and  Dr.  Whitehead — all  three — were  V.  M.  I.  men,  'Old  Stonewall' 
one  of  its  most  beloved  and  honored  professors. 

"After  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  Dr.  Whitehead  was  directed  to 
take  charge  of  all  the  wounded  of  Stonewall  Jackson's  old  Corps. 
The  Federals  allowed  him  to  remain  in  charge,  after  the  retire- 
ment of  both  Armies,  and  liberally  furnished  supplies  for  the 
wounded.  About  a  month  afterwards,  instead  of  being  exchanged 
(as  he  expected)  Dr.  Whitehead  was  detained  as  a  prisoner  of  war, 
and  sent  to  Baltimore  and  shut  up  in  an  enclosure  adjoining  Fort 
McHenry.  From  this  imprisonment  he  escaped  in  citizen's  attire, 
one  dark  night,  by  scaling  the  walls,  leaving  his  uniform,  top  boots, 
and  big  spurs  behind  as  souvenirs.  That  night,  he  made  his  way 
to  New  York,  and  the  next  morning  astonished  his  future  father-in- 
law.  Colonel  Thomas  G.  Benton  (a  good  Southerner  residing  in 
New  York),  by  appearing  before  him. 

"Passing  through  Canada,  he  took  passage  from  Halifax  on  a 
Cunard  Steamer  for  St.  Georges,  Bermuda,  and  from  there,  on  a 
swift  Blockade-Runner,  he  safely  returned  {via  Wilmington)  to  his 
duties  in  the  Confederate  Army.  Arriving  in  Richmond,  Surgeon- 
General  Moore  took  some  interest  in  Dr.  Whitehead's  adventures, 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  489 

and  granted  him  twenty  days'  leave  of  absence.  He  was  engaged 
to  his  very  pretty  little  cousin^  Miss  Elizabeth  Benton,  of  New 
York.  On  account  of  ill  health  she  had  been  permitted  by  Mr. 
Stanton,  the  Federal  Secretary  of  War,  to  cross  the  lines  and  visit 
the  South.  She  was  then  at  the  home  of  her  aunt,  Mrs.  Fielding 
Lewis,  in  Albemarle  County,  Virginia,  not  knowing  that  her  lover 
had  escaped  from  prison;  there,  he  found  her  during  his  twenty 
days'  leave,  and  they  were  happily  married. 

"After  the  War,  Dr.  Whitehead  returned  to  New  Yoi-k,  and 
devoted  himself  to  surgery,  his  favorite  branch  of  the  medical  pro- 
fession. He  moved  from  New  York  to  Denver,  Col.,  in  1872,  on 
account  of  his  wife's  health.  About  1874,  he  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  City  Council  of  Denver,  and  during  his  service  in  the  Council, 
at  the  request  of  the  editor  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  News,  Dr. 
Whitehead  prepared  two  lengthy  articles  on  the  subject  of 
'Sewerage  for  Denver,'  which  were  the  initial  steps  of  the  present 
fine  sewerage  system  of  that  city.  He  was  a  voluminous  and  able 
writer,  principally  treating  of  difficult  cases  of  surgery  he  had  per- 
formed; and  his  articles  on  this  subject  attracted  favorable  com- 
ment, both  in  this  country  and  in  Europe. 

"Dr.  Whitehead  left  his  children  a  large  estate,  inherited  from 
his  father,  and  greatly  increased  by  his  own  untiring  industry  and 
business  acumen.  But  better  than  that,  he  left  them  the  legacy 
of  a  useful  career  and  an  honorable  name.  He  died  at  his  home  in 
Denver,  of  heart  disease,  in  1903.  He  was  found  dead  in  bed  by 
his  servant,  having  apparently  passed  calmly  away  in  his  sleep. 
He  had  already  secured  tickets  for  an  extended  tour  abroad,  for 
the  benefit  of  his  health,  and  expected  to  join  his  wife  in  New  York 
where  she  had  preceded  him,  to  spend  a  few  days  with  relatives 
before  their  departure  for  Europe." 

William  Mason,  of  Virginia. 

He  spent  the  session  of  1851-52  at  Washington  College,  Vir- 
ginia, and  then  entered  the  Institute,  where  he  remained  till  July, 
1854.  He  then  returned  to  his  home  in  Brunswick  County.  Soon 
thereafter,  he  received  a  commission  as  first  lieutenant  from  Gen- 
eral William  Walker,  with  authority  to  raise  a  company  for  service 
in  the  Army  which  that  intrepid  soldier  was  organizing  for  the 
purpose  of  establishing  a  Republic  to  be  formed  of  the  States  of 
Central  America.  He  at  once  visited  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  and  New 
Orleans,  La.,  making  the  latter  place  his  headquarters ;  and  soon 
sailed  therefrom  as  captain  of  about  one  hundred  men,  having  been 
promoted,  after  the  organization  of  the  company,  to  its  captaincy. 

Almost  immediately  on  his  arrival  at  his  destination  in  Nica- 
ragua, he  participated  in  the  battle  of  Rivas.  After  this  fight,  he 
was  stricken  with  fever,  and  died  aboard  the  vessel  which  was 
taking  him  to  the  Island  of  Omertepec,  in  Lake  Nicaragua,  where 


490  The  Military  Histoby  of 

General  Walker  had  established  hospital  quarters  for  his  sick  and 
wounded.  He  was  buried  on  this  island — his  last  resting  place— 
bv  his  comrades,  in  the  presence  of  the  American  Consul  and  other 
American  friends  who  were  there  watching  events  in  what  was 
then  a  very  interesting,  if  anxious,  movement.  He  died  May  4, 
1856.  His  family  received  many  testimonials  of  him,  including  an 
account  of  his  gallant  conduct  in  the  fight  at  Rivas,  which  his 
mother  always  kept,  and  which  she  bequeathed  to  lier  daughter. 

The  following  tribute  was  written,  August  23,  1856,  by  his 
friend  and  comrade,  Mr.  F.  W.  Wilkins,  of  Lynchburg,  Va. : 

"Death  of  a  Virginian  in  Nicaragua 

"Died  on  the  4th  of  May,  1856,  Captain  William  Mason,  aged 
22  years,  late  of  the  Nicaraguan  Army,  General  William  Walker, 
commanding. 

"The  unfortunate  subject  of  this  obituary  was  a  native  of  the 
Old  Dominion,  born  in  Brunswick  County,  April  14,  1834,  a 
graduate  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  [He  did  not  graduate, 
but  resigned  (probably)  in  the  graduating  class. — Ed.],  and  in  all 
respects  a  most  worthy  and  estimable  gentleman. 

"A  few  months  previously  to  his  untimely  death,  he  enjoyed  all 
that  affection  and  wealth  could  bestow ;  but  with  this  he  was  not 
content.  In  the  bosom  of  an  affectionate,  careful,  and  provident 
family,  his  ardent  and  restless  spirit  found  not  what  it  sought; 
and,  having  heard  of  the  struggles  of  Walker  and  his  daring  fol- 
lowers, his  gallant  and  danger-loving  spirit  yearned  to  be  with  them. 
He,  accordingly,  left  parents,  friends,  and  a  quiet  happy  home  to 
enlist  under  the  banner  of  Republican  Nicaragua.  With  this  de- 
sign, he  visited  the  states  of  Mississippi  and  Louisiana  in  which, 
after  much  trouble  and  expense,  he  collected  a  little  band  of  ad- 
venturous spirits,  in  command  of  which  he  set  sail  for  Nicaragua, 
that  most  beautiful,  romantic  and  fertile,  but  distracted,  land. 
Here,  he  and  his  dauntless  followers  arrived  safeW  on  the  22d  of 
March,  after  a  voyage  of  eleven  days ;  and,  here,  he  experienced 
for  the  first  time  the  severe  and  trying  reality  of  the  soldier's  life. 
Here,  he  entered  with  alacrity  upon  the  officer's  manifold  duties  and 
responsibilities — arduous  and  full  of  danger ;  and,  here,  he  bore  all 
those  privations,  hardships,  and  fatigues,  incident  to  the  camp  and 
the  march,  cheerfully  and  without  a  murmur. 

"He  was  present  at  that  long-continued  and  bloody  battle  of 
Rivas.  His  chivalrous  and  soldiery  bearing  was  remarked  by  all, 
officers  and  men ;  and  he  survived  to  read,  hear,  and  receive  the 
many  distinguished  encomiums  which  his  noble  and  dauntless  con- 
duct so  well  merited. 

"Amid  the  'shout,  the  shock,  and  groan  of  war,'  his  proud  step 
was  ever  seen  onward  and  in  advance,  and  his  commanding  voice 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  491 

unceasingly  heard,  urging  on  to  victory  or  to  death.  But,  alas,  alas ! 
he  is  gone !  he  has  fallen !  he  has  fallen- — not  by  the  sword,  but 
by  disease.  Shortly  after  the  battle  of  Rivas,  he  was  stricken  down 
by  yellow  fever — that  most  fatal  malady ;  and  with  its  unusual 
virulence  his  manly  form  for  a  long  time  contended  for  the  victory, 
and  it  seemed  with  success ;  but  he  finally  sank  beneath  its  death- 
stroke.  He  died,  entertaining  to  the  last  the  anxious  hope  of  re- 
visiting, and  embracing  again,  his  revered  father  and  mother,  and 
fond  brothers,  and  devoted  sister. 

"He  breathed  his  last  on  the  morning  of  the  Ith  of  May,  aboard 
the  steamer  in  Lake  Nicaragua,  and  was  buried  on  the  Island  of 
Omertepec.  His  bearing  in  the  agonies  of  death,  although  far 
separated  from  all  that  was  dear  to  him,  was  yet  in  keeping  with 
his  lofty,  and  magnanimous  nature. 

"His  death  was  witnessed  by  the  author,  who  was  lying  prostrate 
by  the  same  disease.  Heart-felt  sympathy  for  his  bereaved  family, 
and  eternal  happiness  to  his  departed  spirit !" 

We  have  thus  given  the  record  of  three  sons  of  the  V.  M.  I. 
who  sought  military  glory  in  foreign  lands,  two  of  whom  found  a 
soldier's  grave,  while  fighting  for  the  cause  they  bravely  espoused. 

[There  were  others  who  fought  (and  one  who  died)  while  serv- 
ing Foreign  Armies,  after  the  Confederate  War;  and,  while  their 
records  do  not  strictly  belong  to  the  province  of  this  History  (which 
gives  the  military  record  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  only  to 
the  end  of  that  great  war),  still,  it  is  believed  the  "unities"  will 
not  be  seriously  hurt,  if  we  give  them  in  this  work ;  so  they  will 
be  found  in  Appendix  G.] 


492  The  Military  History  of 


APPENDIX  G 

PREPARED    BY    JOS.    R.     ANDERSON. 

V.  M.  I.  ALUMNI  IN  FOREIGN  ARMIES— AFTER  1865 

In  the  body  of  this  work  will  be  found  brief  sketches  of  three 
old  cadets  who  served  in  Foreign  Armies  before  the  Confederate 
War.  Three  others  served  in  Foreign  Armies  after  that  War,  and 
a  brief  record  of  them  is  given  in  this  Appendix. 

Raleigh  Edward  Colston,  of  Virginia.  He  was  born  in  Paris, 
France,  in  1825,  and  recei\'ed  his  preliminary  education  in  the  best 
schools  of  that  City  until  he  was  sixteen  when  he  was  placed  in  the 
care  of  Mr.  Edward  Colston,  in  Berkeley  County,  Virginia  (now 
West  Virginia),  by  the  latter's  brother.  Dr.  Raleigh  Colston,  of 
Paris,  in  order  that  his  education  might  be  completed  in  the  United 
States. 

He  was  entered  at  the  Institute  in  1843,  and  was  graduated  in 
1846.  His  course  at  the  Institute  was  most  creditable,  and  he  was 
a  popular  cadet.  He  had  fitted  himself  for  the  profession  of  teach- 
ing, and  especially  the  French  language,  in  which  he  was  very 
proficient.  In  the  year  1854  he  was  invited  to  accept  the  chair  of 
French  at  the  Institute.  He  was  flattered  by  the  tender,  and 
promptly  accepted  it ;  and  when  the  Confederate  War  broke  out 
he  was  most  acceptably  filling  that  chair.  He  at  once  offered  his 
services  to  Virginia  and  the  Confederacy.  They  were  promptly  ac- 
cepted, and  he  was  appointed  Colonel  of  the  16th  Virginia  Infantry. 

In  the  fall  of  1861,  he  was  promoted  brigadier-general,  and  he 
commanded  a  brigade  in  the  Peninsula,  under  Magruder,  until  the 
spring  of  1862.  At  Chancellorsville,  May,  1863,  he  gallantly  and 
efficiently  commanded  a  division.  Later,  he  was  placed  in  command 
at  Petersburg,  and,  on  July  6,  1864,  he  was  ordered  to  succeed 
Brigadier-General  Nicholls,  in  command  of  Lynchburg.  He  was  a 
brave  and  intelligent  officer  and  served  gallantly  throughout  the  War. 

After  the  War,  he  was  called  by  the  Khedive  of  Egypt  to  re- 
organize his  Army.  He  accepted  this  flattering  appointment,  re- 
ceiving the  rank  of  Bey  and  title  of  Colonel.  When  his  work  was 
finished,  he  returned  to  Virginia.  Broken  in  health  and  spirit,  and 
too  proud  to  accept  the  support  of  his  children,  he  was  admitted  to 
Lee  Camp  Soldiers'  Home,  at  Richmond,  Va.,  September  25,  1894, 
and  died  there,  Julv  29.  1896,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  beautiful 
"Hollywood." 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  493 

Colonel  George  A.  Porterfield  thus  speaks  of  him: 
"Colston  became  my  roommate  in  1843,  at  the  Institute,  and 
there  we  formed  a  friendship  which  lasted  through  life.  There  was 
no  one  for  whom  I  had  a  higher  regard,  or  a  sincerer  friendship, 
than  R.  E.  Colston.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  intellect  and  superior 
attainments.  The  distinction  which  he  gained  in  the  Confederate 
service,  during  the  Civil  War,  and  later,  in  the  service  of  the 
Khedive  of  Egypt,  reflects  honors  upon  the  Colston  name." 

General  Colston  married  Louisa  Meriwether,  daughter  of  John 
Bowyer,  of  "Thorn  Hill,"   Rockbridge  County,  Virginia,  and  left 

two  daughters,  Mary   (Mrs.  ),  and  Louise   (now  the 

wife  of  John   D.   Ragland,  of  Petersburg,  Va..  an  old   "V.   M.   L 
Boy.") 

St.  George  Tucker  Mason,  of  Virginia,  was  entered  at  the 
Institute  when  sixteen  years  old,  in  the  spring  of  1861,  but  ran 
off  to  enter  the  Army.  He  was  sent  back  to  his  guardian,  as  he 
was  too  young  to  enlist,  and  reentered  early  in  1862.  He  remained 
only  a  few  months,  his  restless  spirit  ill-brooking  his  confinement 
at  the  Institute  when  he  yearned  for  active  service  in  the  field.  His 
guardian  yielded  finally,  and  he  resigned  his  cadetship,  and  entered 
the  Military  service.  His  arm  was  the  Cavalry ;  and  he  made  a 
splendid  record,  being  several  times  wounded,  and  declining 
promotion.     He  served  gallantly  to  the  end. 

St.  George  Mason  was  the  third  son  of  Judge  John  Y.  Mason, 
our  Minister  to  France,  who  died  at  the  embassy  in  Paris,  a  few 
years  before  the  Confederate  War. 

St.  George  was  well  grounded  in  his  preliminary  education  by 
teachers  in  Paris,  and  spoke  the  French  language  fluently.  After 
our  great  War,  he  tried  to  be  content  leading  the  prosaic  life  of  a 
private  citizen,  and  for  just  one  year  ill  succeeded.  Owing  to 
Emperor  Louis  Napoleon's  (and  especially  his  lovely  wife, 
Eugenie's)  fondness  for  Judge  Mason's  family,  St.  George  re- 
ceived, in  1866,  an  appointment  as  first  lieutenant  in  the  "Foreign 
Legion"  of  the  French  Army,  stationed  in  Algeria.  He  quickly  re- 
ported for  duty. 

After  five  years'  service  in  which  he  had  twice  received  pro- 
motion, he  was  on  the  eve  of  applying  for  a  furlough  to  visit  his 
old  home  in  Virginia,  when  the  Franco-German  War  broke  out.  No 
power  under  heaven  could  have  drawn  him  from  France  then.  He 
served  during  the  war  with  the  greatest  gallantry,  receiving  wounds 
and  promotions. 

When  the  war  ended  he  was  the  senior  captain  of  his  regiment 
in  the  regular  French  Army,  and  had  frequently  commanded  it. 

Marrying  soon  afterwards  the  daughter  of  a  high  civil  official  in 
Algiers,  he  found  it  difficult  to  pay  the  long-promised  and  longed- 
for  visit  to  America ;    and  it  was  not  till  he  came  as  aide-de-camp 


494  The  Military  History  of 

to  General  Boulanger,  on  the  occasion  of  the  Yorktown  Centennial 
Celebration,  that  his  loved  ones  in  Virginia  saw  him;  and,  alas, 
they  never  saw  him  again!  After  a  few  weeks'  delightful  visit,  he 
returned  to  France  with  his  General. 

France,  during  her  occupation  of  Tong-King  (Tonquin)  in 
Annam,  in  1883-4,  had  suffered  a  number  of  repulses  by  the 
Chinese,  and  determined  to  increase  her  Army  of  occupation  to 
4.0,000,  under  General  Briere  de  I'lsle.  Captain  Mason's  regiment 
formed  a  part  of  this  Army. 

A  treaty  was  soon  negotiated,  through  the  offices  of  Sir  Robert 
Hart,  between  France  and  China,  the  terms  being  that  Tong-King 
should  remain  under  the  protection  of  France,  who  would  evacuate 
Formosa,  and  spend  80,000,000  francs  on  the  construction  of  roads 
in  South  China.  In  the  rainy  season  of  1884  there  was  much  sick- 
ness among  the  French  troops  in  Tong-King,  and  Mason  fell  a 
victim  to  virulent  dysentery,  dying  there  in  the  summer  of  1884. 
His  remains  were  later  taken  to  Algeria. 

St.  George  Mason  was  a  born  soldier,  and  loved  his  profession; 
and,  had  his  life  been  spared  a  while  longer,  there  is  hardly  a  doubt 
that  he  would  have  been  promoted  to  still  higher  rank  in  the  Army 
of  his  romantic  love. 

A  younger  brother  served  gallantly  in  the  New  Market  Corps 
of  Cadets. 

Henry  Huntingdon  Harrison,  of  Virginia,  matriculated  July, 
1863.  Served  with  the  Corps  in  its  various  campaigns  until 
February,  1864,  when  he  resigned  to  enlist  in  the  Army. 

He  served  throughout  the  remainder  of  the  War  as  a  private  in 
Company  B,  43d  Virginia  Cavalry  Battalion,  under  Colonel  Mosby. 
He  had  his  horse  shot  under  him  in  the  action  at  Hamilton,  Va., 
March  21,  1865,  and  was  captured  and  held  a  prisoner  in  Fort 
McHenry,  until  the  June  following. 

In  1866,  he  entered  the  University  of  Virginia,  and  graduated  in 
the  Law  School  in  1868,  and  subsequently  traveled  in  Europe. 
Fondness  for  military  life,  and  sympathy  with  the  republican  cause, 
induced  him  to  offer  his  services  to  the  Insurgent  Republic  of  Cuba. 
In  June,  1869,  he  was  commissioned  Captain  of  Cavalry  in  the 
"Liberating  Army  of  Cuba."  He  raised  a  company  of  Confederate 
Veterans  at  Richmond,  Va.,  which  became  Company  D  in  the  regi- 
ment of  American  Cavalry  of  Colonel  Ryan.  He  sailed  with  the 
Expedition  from  New  York  for  Cuba,  but  was  captured  by  the 
United  States  authorities  and  confined  in  Fort  Lafayette,  New 
York  Harbor.  He  remained  nearly  a  year  in  New  York  City,  wait- 
ing under  the  orders  of  the  Cuban  Junta,  and  engaged  in  shipping 
arms  and  other  munitions  of  war  to  the  Army  in  Cuba.  Finally,  in 
May,  1870,  he  went  to  Cuba  as  captain  in  the  Expedition  of  Gaspar 
Aguero    Betancourt.      He    served   first    in    the    cavalry   brigade    of 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  495 

Camaguey,  under  General  Ryan,  afterwards  in  the  Department  of 
Santa  Clara,  under  General  Cavada.  He  was  lying  ill,  and  unable 
to  walk,  in  a  hospital  camp  in  the  woods,  near  Palma  Sola,  in 
Cienfuegas,  January  19,  1871,  when  the  camp  was  taken  by  the 
Spanish.  He  escaped  on  his  hands  and  knees.  On  the  fifth  day, 
being  nearly  exhausted  from  having  had  nothing  to  eat,  he  en- 
countered, and  surrendered  to,  a  detachment  of  Spanish  cavalry; 
was  held  a  prisoner  and  threatened  with  death,  but  was  finally 
released  at  the  intervention  of  the  United  States. 

He  returned  then  to  Virginia,  and  settled  in  Sussex  County,  and 
engaged  in  farming.  He  married,  in  1874,  Margaret  B.  Page,  of 
Philadelphia.  He  was  Chairman  of  the  Democratic  Executive 
Committee  of  his  county,  1876-9,  and  was  a  member  of  the  House 
of  Delegates,  1877-9.  Although  he  was  a  graduate  in  law,  he  never 
practised  the  profession,  but  dropped  it  for  farming,  and  the  study 
of  letters,  which  last  is  his  favorite  pursuit. 

Impaired  health — the  result  of  exposure  in  campaigning  in  two 
wars — obliged  him  to  remove  to  Florida  in  1887,  where  he  has 
since  resided,  giving  much  time  to  the  settlement  and  development 
of  the  Indian  River  and  Biscayne  Bay  sections  of  that  State. 

In  1891-2-3,  he  was  Commissioner  of  the  State  of  Florida  to 
obtain  from  Congress  sundry  improvements  to  navigation  on  the 
East  Coast.  He  is  much  interested  in  the  cult  of  the  Confederate 
Legends.     He  is  a  member  of  Miami  Camp  of  U.  C.  V. 

He  has  written  "The  Charge  of  the  Cadets,"  "Chickamauga," 
"The  Fall  of  the  Great  Captain,"  "The  Last  Charge  at  Gettys- 
burg," "The  Writing  of  the  Roll  of  Glory,"  "The  South  was 
Right,"  etc. 

Henry  Huntingdon  Harrison  was  born  May  12,  1848,  at  "Carter 
Hall,"  Clarke  County,  Virginia,  and  is  the  son  of  Henry  Harrison, 
of  "Berkeley,"  Charles  City  County,  and  his  wife,  Frances  Tabb 
Burwell,  of  "Carter  Hall."  His  paternal  grandparents  were 
Benjamin  Harrison,  of  "Carter  Hall,"  and  Mary  Willing  Page,  of 
"Pagebrooke,"  Clarke  County,  Virginia. 


496  The  Military  History  of 


APPENDIX  H 

PREPARED    BY    JOS.    R.    ANDERSON. 

GRADUATES  AND  ELEVES   IN   THE   UNION   ARMY— 

DURING  THE  WAR 

There  were  fifteen  (15),  and  to  all  but  one  we  would  accord 
the  meed  of  praise  and  honor;  and  we  enshrine  their  memories  in 
our  hearts. 

Here  are  the  fourteen  who  conscientiously  (we  must  believe) 
clung  to  the  Union,  and  dedicated  their  lives  and  fortunes  to  the 
cause  for  its  preservation: 

Brigadier-General   Edward   C.   Carrington, 
Colonel  Charles  Denby, 
Colonel  Benjamin  Sharp, 
Colonel  John  F.  Tyler, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  John  T.  Hall, 
Major  James  R.  Hall, 
Major  William  C.  Cuyler, 
Major  John  A.  Thompson, 
Captain  Samuel  S.  Malcolm, 
Captain  Ulysses  D.  Floyd, 
Captain  James  B.  Hamilton, 
Lieutenant  A.  B.  Williams, 
Private  James  Seabrook, 
all  of  the  Armj'  (except  probably  Hamilton),  and 
Surgeon  Stephen  D.  Kennedy,  of  the  Navy. 

Of  the  above-named,  five  met  death  during  the  War,  and  two 
soon  after,  in  the  line  of  duty. 

E.  C.  Carrington  came  of  a  distinguished  line  of  Virginians, 
and  (barring  this  one  act  of  his  life)  was  no  mean  scion  of  a 
knightly  race.  (See  brief  sketch  of  him  on  page  514  in  appendix 
entitled,  "The  Institute's  Contribution  to  the  Mexican  War.") 

Charles  Denby  graduated  "First  Captain"  of  his  Class  (1850). 
Some  years  afterwards,  Georgetown  University  conferred  upon 
him  the  degree  of  LL.  D. 

He  was  born  in  Botetourt  County,  Virginia.  His  parents  were 
Nathaniel  Denby,  a  merchant  of  Richmond,  Virginia   (who,  at  one 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  497 

time,  was  United  States  Consul  at  Marseilles,  France),  and  Sarah 
Harvey,  of  Botetourt  County,  Virginia.  He  taught  several  years 
in  the  Masonic  University  at  Selma,  Alabama,  and  then  removed  to 
Evansville,  Indiana,  and  was  assistant  editor  of  the  Enquirer,  of 
that  City,  till  1855,  when  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  The  next 
year  he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature,  as  a  Democrat. 

When  the  Civil  War  began,  he  was  active  for  the  Union  cause, 
and  was  made  colonel  of  the  Forty-Second  Indiana  Volunteers, 
and  afterwards,  colonel  of  the  Eightieth  Indiana  Volunteers.  At 
the  battle  of  Perryville,  in  1862,  he  was  severely  wounded,  and  had 
his  horse  killed  under  him.  Three  years  later,  his  injuries  forced 
him  to  resign  his  commission. 

He  then  took  up  politics,  and  was  for  years  one  of  the  shining 
lights  of  the  Democracy  of  his  State.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the 
St.  Louis  Convention  of  1876,  and  nominated  Tilden  and  Hendricks, 
and,  in  1884,  to  the  Chicago  Convention  which  nominated  Cleve- 
land and  Hendricks.  Five  months  before  the  death  of  Vice- 
President  Hendricks,  Colonel  Denby  was  appointed  by  President 
Cleveland,  Minister  to  China.  He  was  reappointed  by  President 
Harrison  (who  was  his  warm  friend  and  admirer),  and  was  again 
reappointed  by  President  Cleveland. 

In  his  thirteen  years  of  service,  from  1885  to  1898,  Colonel 
Denby  became  close  to  the  Chinese  statesmen.  His  efforts  in  aid 
of  peace  with  Japan,  after  the  war  with  the  Celestial  Empire,  put 
him  high  in  Chinese  favor ;  and  Li  Hung  Chang  had  a  great  regard 
for  him.  Immediately  on  his  retiring,  President  McKinley  ap- 
pointed him  a  member  of  the  Commission  which  investigated  the 
conduct  of  the  War  with  Spain.  The  next  year,  he  was  appointed 
a  member  of  the  Philippine  Commission.  He  was  a  man  of  inter- 
national fame,  and  was  one  of  the  galaxy  of  statesmen  that  shed 
lustre  upon  Indiana. 

In  1858,  he  married  a  daughter  of  United  States  Senator 
Graham  N.  Fitch,  of  Indiana,  who  survived  him,  with  the  following 
children:  Edwin,  T.  Garvin,  Graham  F.,  Charles,  Jr.,  Wythe, 
and  Mrs.  Gilbert  Wilkes. 

Colonel  Denby  never  denied  that,  although  he  was  relieved,  on 
an  Army  surgeon's  certificate  of  physical  disability,  from  further 
service  in  the  field,  he  resigned  his  commission  in  the  United  States 
Army  because  of  Lincoln's  Emancipation  Proclamation.  This  was 
generally  believed. 

One  of  his  sons  wrote  that  he  "treasured  more  than  one 
memento  of  his  cadet  days,  until  his  death;  and  they  are  now 
valued  keepsakes  of  some  of  his  children."  In  this  connection,  it 
will  not  be  out  of  place  to  insert  here  a  letter  from  Colonel  Denby, 
received  by  the  Chairman  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  Semi- 
centennial  Executive   Committee,   in    1889: 


.S2 


498  The  Military  History  of 

"Legation  of  the  United  States, 

"Peking,  July  16,  1889. 

"Joseph  R.  Anderson,  Jr.,  Esq., 
"Chairman,  etc., 

"Richmond,  Va. 
"Dear  Sir — Your  kind  letter  of  May  14th,  inviting  me  to  attend 
the  Semi-Centennial  Celebration  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute, 
on  the  3d  and  1th  instant,  reached  me  this  day.  You  correctly 
assume  that  attendance  on  the  occasion  mentioned  would  have  been 
a  great  pleasure  for  me.  Nothing  would  be  more  agreeable  to  me 
than  to  visit  Virginia  where  the  most  of  my  relations  reside,  and 
especially — 

"  'The  schoolboy  spot  we  ne'er  forget. 
Though  there  we  are  forgot.' 

"I  was  contemporary  with  Rodes,  Garland,  Allen,  and  many 
others  who  won  fame  in  our  great  War.  Here,  in  China,  I  have  a 
classmate.  General  A.  C.  Jones,  Consul  at  Chinkiang;  but  we  are 
eight  hundred  miles  apart. 

"Trusting  that  I  shall  have  the  pleasure  of  meeting  you,  and 
other  'Old  Cadets,'  at  no  distant  day, 

"I  remain,  very  truly  yours, 

"Charles  Denby." 

In  another  letter,  written  many  years  afterwards,  he  said  that, 
at  a  gathering  of  V.  M.  I.  Alumni,  in  San  Francisco,  he  had  had 
"the  honor  of  drinking  a  toast  to  [Judge]  Evans,  the  gallant  color- 
bearer  at  New  Market." 

Colonel  Denby  died  suddenly  of  heart  trouble  at  Jamestown, 
New  York  (having  lectured  there  the  night  before),  January  13, 
1904. 

Benjamin  Sharp  was  one  of  the  noble  twenty  youths  who  re- 
lieved the  Public  Guard  at  Lexington,  on  the  natal  day  of  the 
V.  M.  I.  He  was  from  Lee  County,  Virginia,  and  his  family  was 
probably  the  most  prominent  one  in  that  section. 

In  a  few  years,  he  removed  to  Missouri,  and  soon  became 
prominent  in  that  State.  At  the  beginning  of  the  War,  lie  was  com- 
missioned colonel  of  Missouri  Volunteers  (Union);  but,  before  he 
could  take  command  of  his  regiment,  he  was  killed  by  "Bush- 
whackers," as  he  was  driving  along  the  road  in  his  buggy. 

He  had  become  a  leading  Mason  in  his  adopted  State,  and  the 
members  of  that  order  passed  the  most  eulogistic  resolutions  on 
his  untimely  and  cruel  taking-off,  and  placed  his  portrait  in  the 
Grand   Lodge,  in   St.   Louis. 

Grand  old  General  A.  C.  Cummings,  of  the  Class  of  1844,  told 
the  writer  that  the  first  cadet  uniform   he  ever  saw  was   worn  by 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  499 

Cadet  Benjamin  Sharp,  as  he  returned  from  the  Institute,  in  July, 
1840,  and  passed  through  Abingdon;  and  that  it  made  such  an 
impression  on  him.  in  arousing  his  youthful  ambition,  that  he  deter- 
mined to  apply  for  a  cadetship  himself,  the  next  year.  He  got  the 
appointment,  and  was  graduated  three  years  thereafter. 

John  F.  Tyler  was  from  the  same  State  and  county  as 
Benjamin  Sharp,  but  entered  the  Institute  sixteen  years  after  the 
latter.  He  was  graduated  in  1859,  and  soon  thereafter  removed  to 
St.  Joseph,  Missouri.  He  became  a  lawyer;  and  when,  two  years 
later,  the  War  broke  out,  he  enlisted  in  the  Union  Army,  and  rose 
to  be  a  colonel,  serving  throughout  the  War  with  distinction. 

He  had  never  returned  to  the  Institute  till  July,  1889,  when  the 
Semi-Centennial  Celebration  was  held,  and  between  tOO  and  500 
"Old  Boys"  assembled  to  honor  the  occasion,  and  the  grand  old 
Chief  who  had  chosen  to  relinquish  his  life's  work  on  this,  his 
fiftieth,  anniversary,  as  Superintendent  of  the  Institute.  Tyler 
was  given  an  ovation.  It  was  the  first  time  since  the  War  that  a 
Federal  Alumnus  had  returned  to  the  old  home,  and  his  hundreds 
of  Alumni-brothers  gave  him  the  right  hand  of  comradeship,  with  a 
hearty  will.  This  generous  and  magnanimous  reception  touched 
him  deeply.  He  met  a  number  of  his  classmates,  among  them  Scott 
Shipp,  Commandant ;  and  he  was  the  most  earnest  man  on  the 
ground  in  soliciting  votes  among  the  Alumni  for  the  nomination  of 
Shipp  as  "Old  Speck's"  successor,  against  General  Fitzhugh  Lee, 
a  formidable  competitor. 

Tyler  died  in  1911.  He  was  a  devoted  son  of  the  Institute,  and 
influenced  a  number  of  Missouri  youths  to  attend  the  School. 

The  two  Halls  were  brothers.  They  were  very  anxious  to 
enlist  in  tlie  Southern  cause,  their  sympathies  being  entirely  with 
the  South.  They  had  many  friends  in  the  Corps  of  Cadets,  all  of 
whom  expected  them  to  take  side  with  Virginia  in  the  coming 
struggle,  when  they  left  the  Institute  for  their  home  near  the  Ohio 
River.  But  their  father — a  rabid  Unionist — forbade  their  entering 
the  Southern  Army,  threatening  them  with  the  direst  punishment 
if  they  did  not  obey  his  command.  It  was  a  most  pathetic  case. 
They  were  literally  driven  to  the  course  adopted  for  them,  against 
their  solemn  protest,  by  their  unnatural  and  cruel  father.  They 
both  joined  the  Federal  Army;  both  were  given  high  command, 
and  both  were  killed  in  battle!  We  can  not  but  sigh  over  the  sad 
fate  of  these  two  unwilling  martyrs  to  a  cause  they  believed,  in 
their  hearts,  was  cruelly  unjust.  They  were  buried  side  by  side 
in  the  Cemetery  near  Eight  Mile  Island,  in  the  Ohio  River.  James 
died  first,  having  been  killed  at  Kennedy's  Hill.  West  Virginia, 
August  6,  1862.     He  was  major  of  the  4th  West  Virginia  Infantry. 


500  The  Military  History  of 

John,  the  younger  by  four  years,  was  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  13th 
West  Virginia  Infantry,  and  was  killed  at  Cedar  Creek,  West 
Virginia,  October  19,  1864. 

A  correspondent  of  the  writer  who  knew  the  Hall  family  well, 
thus  wrote:  "Hon.  John  Hall,  the  father  of  James  Robert  and 
John  Tyler  Hall  (his  only  sons),  was  a  native  of  Tyrone,  Ireland, 
and  came  to  America  with  his  parents  when  a  child,  and  settled 
first  in  Rockingham  County,  Virginia,  later  removing  to  Mason 
County  (West  Virginia).  He  married  Olivia  Hogg,  daughter  of 
Thomas  Hogg,  youngest  son  of  Peter  Hogg,  the  famous  captain  and 
surveyor,  and  friend  of  Washington,  when  Robert  Dinwiddle  was 
the  Colonial  Governor  of  Virginia. 

"John  Hall  (father  of  the  two  cadets)  was  a  member  of  the 
General  Assembly  of  Virginia  in  1844,  and  served  a  second  term, 
and  was  also  a  State  Senator,  and  was  elected  on  the  Whig  ticket 
in  1852.  He  was  the  President  of  the  first  Convention  of  West 
Virginia,  and  he  held  many  other  positions  of  trust  in  the  county 
and  State.  He  was  a  zealous  Union  man;  and  his  position,  and 
desire  for  influence  in  the  State,  made  him  urge  his  sons  to  enlist 
in  the  Federal  service,  they  being  both  warm  advocates  of  the 
South,  at  the  commencement  of  the  agitation  for  the  secession  of 
the  State  of  Virginia.  James  remarked  to  a  friend  that  he  would 
rather  see  his  right  arm  paralyzed  than  raised  against  the  South ; 
and  a  strange  incident  happened:  his  right  arm  was  shattered  by 
a  ball,  which  was  the  cause  of  his  death. 

"The  father  of  these  Old  Cadets  in  a  political  controversy  with 
Editor  Lewis  Wetzel,  of  Point  Pleasant,  in  1861,  shot  and  killed 
him.     He  was  tried  for  the  killing,  but  was  acquitted." 

This  uncompromising  hater  of  the  South,  and  bitter  and 
vindictive  man,  died  of  cancer  of  the  eye,  in  1882,  and  was  buried 
by  his  sons.  He  never  recovered  from  their  deaths.  He  had  a 
large  picture  painted  of  the  two  gallant  young  men,  in  the  uniform 
of  their  rank,  with  this  inscription  beneath  it:  "Young,  patriotic, 
brave,  and  generous,  they  gallantly  fell  in  defense  of  their  Country, 
with  their  faces  to  the  foe." 

Another  correspondent  wrote  that  John  T.  Hall,  on  the  breaking 
out  of  the  War,  went  to  Charleston  (West  Virginia),  to  go  into 
the  Confederate  Army,  but  did  not  do  so;  and  that,  instead,  he 
joined  the  Union  Army,  and  was  commissioned  major  of  the  4th 
Virginia  (West  Virginia)  Volunteers  (Union).  He  was  after- 
wards promoted  to  lieutenant-colonel,  as  we  have  stated  above. 

William  Clarendon  Cuyler  entered  the  Institute  the  summer 
before  the  war.  He  was  a  native  of  Georgia,  and  was  a  son  of 
Major  John  Meek  Cuyler,  Medical  Corps,  U.  S.  A.,  a  native  of  the 
same  State.     His  father,  in  1860,  was  stationed  at  Fortress  Monroe, 


The  Virginia  Militaey  Institute  501 

and  it  was  from  there  that  Cuyler  came  to  the  Institute.  He  was 
a  popular  fellow,  and  a  high-toned  Southern  gentleman;  but  when 
the  war-clouds  threatened,  his  comrades  all  knew  that  Cuyler  would 
cast  his  lot  with  his  father,  on  the  "other  side."  It  was  an 
illustration  of  the  effect  of  environment.  Cuyler  had  been  brought 
up  in  the  Army  where  State  lines  are  obliterated,  and  State  pride 
is  but  poorly  cultivated. 

He  became  a  second  lieutenant  in  the  Third  Artillery  in 
February,  1862;  first  lieutenant  in  April,  1863;  brevet  captain  in 
October,  1864,  "for  gallant  and  meritorious  service  in  the  battles 
of  Winchester  and  Cedar  Creek";  and  major  in  March,  1865,  "for 
good  and  gallant  service  during  the  war." 

He  died  November  2,  1869,  in  Savannah,  Georgia,  of  yellow 
fever. 

John  A.  Thompson  was  from  Belmont  County,  Ohio  (bordering 
on  the  Ohio  River).  He  was  the  son  of  Colonel  John  Thompson,  of 
Belmont  County,  Ohio  (opposite  Moundsville,  Virginia),  and  his 
wife,  Sara  Ann  Walker,  both  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  whose 
paternal  parents  came  from  Armagh,  Ireland. 

He  was  in  the  graduating  class  in  1850-51,  when  he,  with  all 
but  two  or  three  others  of  the  class,  had  a  bitter  controversy  with 
the  Second  Cadet-Captain  (their  classmate).  Thompson  was  a 
great  favorite,  and  the  Second  Captain  was  very  unpopular— both 
in  his  Class  and  in  the  Corps  at  large.  The  issue  was  joined  by 
Thompson  denouncing  in  unmeasured  terms  his  commanding  officer. 
A  court-martial  resulted;  but  his  classmates  (all  but  two  or  three) 
stood  by  him,  and  they  were  threatened  with  dismissal  for  "forming 
a  combination,"  in  contravention  of  the  Regulations  of  the  Institute. 
There  was  great  excitement  in  the  Corps  which  met  and  adopted 
resolutions  upholding  both  Thompson  and  his  Class,  and  condemn- 
ing the  Second  Captain.  The  verdict  of  the  court-martial  was 
generally  thought  to  have  been  unjust.  Thompson  left  the  In- 
stitute, but  carried  with  him  unmistakable  proof  of  the  confidence 
and  admiration  of  his  classmates  (except  one  or  two)  and  of  the 
whole  Corps. 

Three  years  later,  June  25,  1855,  he  received  a  commission  as 
second  lieutenant  in  the  First  United  States  Dragoons.  He  was 
transferred,  August  29,  1855,  to  the  First  Cavalry.  On  January, 
— ,  1861,  he  was  promoted  first  lieutenant,  and  May  14,  1861, 
captain.  On  August  3,  1861,  he  was  transferred  to  the  Fourth 
Cavalry.  August  25,  1867,  he  was  promoted  major  of  the  Seventh 
Cavalry;  and,  on  November  14th,  following,  he  was  murdered  by 
desperadoes,  near  his  post  in  Texas. 

The  following  announcement  was  made  to  his  father,  by  the 
assistant  surgeon  of  the  post: 


502  The  Military  History  of 

"Fort  Mason,  Texas,  November  1  i,  1867. 

"Colonel  John  Thompson, 

"Moundsville,  W.  Va. 

"Dear  Sir — It  becomes  my  painful  duty  to  inform  you  of  the 
death  of  your  son,  Major  John  A.  Thompson,  at  this  post,  this 
morning,  at  the  hands  of  desperadoes,  while  commanding  the  peace 
in  an  aifray  between  them  and  a  party  of  soldiers  just  arrived  from 
Fort  Chadbourne. 

"Tlie  ball  struck  the  right  cheek  below  the  eye,  cutting  the 
internal  carotid  artery,  and  emerging  below  the  left  ear,  with 
fatal  hemorrhage  in  about  twenty  minutes.  I  was  by  his  side  in 
a  few  moments,  but  my  best  endeavors  to  preserve  his  valuable  life 
were  hopelessly  futile. 

"He  was  universally  esteemed  here,  his  many  noble  qualities 
winning  him  a  large  circle  of  friends  who,  with  his  inconsolable 
family,  and  the  Army  which  loses  one  of  its  most  valuable  officers, 
will  ever  deplore  his  irreparable  loss. 

"Accept,  dear  sir,  my  most  sincere  sympathy,  in  this  your  sad 
bereavement. 

"Mrs.  Thompson  will  leave  for  St.  Louis  as  soon  as  proper 
escort  can  be  secured  to  accompany  her. 

"Very  respectfully, 

"John  A.  Hulse, 

"A.  A.  Surgeon,  U.  S.  A." 

In  a  "communicated"  tribute  before  us,  we  find  these  words: 

"Major  John  A.  Thompson  was  educated  at  the  Virginia  Mili- 
tary Institute. 

"His  first  associations  in  the  Army  were  with  Colonel  Lee  (after- 
wards General  Lee,  of  the  Confederate  service).  Most  of  his 
fellow-officers  of  this  same  regiment  were  Southern  gentlemen. 
After  the  partial  disorganization  of  the  regiment,  consequent  on 
the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War,  he  was  associated  with  Colonel 
(afterwards  General)  Sumner,  a  brave  and  gallant  soldier,  and  a 
fine  disciplinarian. 

"Lieutenant  Thompson's  early  duties  in  the  Army  were  in  the 
exploration  and  protection  of  our  immense  territory  in  the  West. 
In  these  duties  many  instances  of  sagacity,  forecast,  and  intrepidity 
might  be  recorded;  Avhile  his  official  reports  of  his  explorations 
are  models  of  conciseness,  fullness,  and  completeness  of  detail, 
exhibiting  all  that  was  important  to  be  known,  and  avoiding  the 
prolixity  of  unnecessary  and  feeble  details.  They  commanded  the 
public  and  official  commendation  of  his  superior  officers,  and  were 
the  basis  of  much  of  the  subsequent  action  of  the  Government,  in 
relation  to  the  whole  of  that  great  western  domain. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  503 

"Upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War,  he  parted  with  great 
regret  with  his  personal  Southern  friends  in  the  Army. 

"For  some  time,  his  services,  from  his  superior  knowledge  of 
the  country,  were  required  for  the  protection  of  the  California 
mails,  and  the  western  settlements,  against  the  Indians  who  then, 
as  lately,  had  assumed  a  warlike  attitude.  But  when  the  Govern- 
ment was  sorely  pressed  in  the  South,  he  was  ordered  to  the  Army 
of  Tennessee  with  his  command.  He  was  present  at  the  battle  of 
Chickamauga,  and  it  was  his  presence  of  mind,  his  personal  bravery, 
and  fortitude,  and  his  disobedience  of  orders  (or,  rather,  his  sub- 
stitution of  his  own  military  discretion),  that  saved  the  retreat  of 
the  Army  and  its  almost  total  destruction. 

"At  tlie  close  of  the  War,  he  was  sent  to  Texas. 

"He  was  scholarly,  soldierly,  and  gentlemanly,  with  the  love  of 
his  men,  the  respect  of  his  fellow-officers,  and  the  confidence  of  his 
superiors." 

The  San  Antonio  (Texas)  Express,  in  its  issue  of  November 
18,  1867,  said: 

"An  express  from  Fort  Mason  arrived  in  this  City  on  Saturday 
morning  bringing  the  intelligence  of  the  brutal  murder  of  Major 
John  A.  Thompson,  Commander  of  the  Post,  on  Thursday  morning 
last.  Major  Thompson  was  out  driving  with  his  wife  and  two 
children,  and,  passing  by  a  store  about  half  a  mile  from  the  Post, 
saw  a  difficulty  taking  place  between  some  citizens  and  soldiers. 
He  stopped  his  ambulance  and  ordered  a  sergeant,  who  was  present, 
to  have  the  parties  arrested,  when  the  desperadoes  turned  upon 
the  Major  and  his  sergeant,  shooting  the  Major  through  the  head, 
killing  him  instantly  (?),  while  by  his  wife's  side,  and  mortally 
wounding  the  sergeant. 

"The  murderers,  having  their  horses  at  hand,  fled  before  any 
attempt  for  their  arrest  could  be  made.  [Then  followed  the  names 
of  the  gang.]  Scouts  have  been  sent  in  all  directions  to  (if 
possible)  catch  the  murderers.  The  officers  of  the  regiment  have 
offered  one  thousand  dollars  reward  for  their  arrest,  and  delivery 
to  the  militarv  authorities. 


"He  was  universally  beloved  by  his  fellow-officers  and  the  men 
under  his  command.  He  was  very  happy  in  his  domestic  relations, 
having  one  of  the  sweetest  of  women  for  a  wife,  and  two  beautiful 
children. 

"On  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  River,  his  aged  father  and  mother, 
surrounded  with  ease  and  wealth,  but  recently  urged  their  son  to 
resign  and  come  home,  to  bless  their  declining  years. 


504  The  Military  History  of 

"He  devoted  the  best  energies  of  a  noble  manhood  to  his 
country's  service,  and  closed  an  honorable  career  with  that  sub- 
limest  of  oflferings,  a  hero's  life." 

Major  Thompson  married,  in  1860,  Mary  J.  Wilson,  of  St. 
Louis,  Missouri.  Two  children  were  born  to  them — Elizabeth  and 
John. 

Of  Malcolm  very  little  is  known.  He  was  a  son  of  Andrew 
Malcolm,  and  his  wife,  Priscilla  Samples,  of  Charleston,  West 
Virginia. 

He  was  entered  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  in  the  summer 
of  1850.  He  did  not  graduate.  In  1858,  he  removed  to  Missouri, 
and  became  a  captain,  during  the  War,  in  the  Union  forces  of  that 
State.  He  has  not  been  heard  from  since  1884  (when  he  was  still 
living  in  Missouri). 

Floyd  was  from  Fairmont,  West  Virginia,  and  became  a  cadet 
in  the  summer  of  1860.  He  was  the  son  of  Michael  Floyd.  Like 
Malcolm,  he  went  also  to  Missouri  (after  the  war).  He  is  said 
to  have  been  a  captain  of  the  Home  Guards  of  West  Virginia 
(Federal).  He  has  not  been  heard  from  by  his  relatives  (still  in 
his  native  state)  for  forty-six  years,  and  is  supposed  to  have  died, 
soon  after  going  west.  When  last  heard  from  he  spoke  of  his 
intention  of  going  farther  westward. 

*Hamilton  was  another  West  Virginian,  who  was  entered  in 
1847.  His  parents,  Thomas  B.  Hamilton  and  Elizabeth  S.  Brown, 
lived  at  Hawks  Nest;  they  moved  there  in  1828  from  the  Valley 
of  Virginia.  The  Old  Cadet  resigned  while  in  the  Third  Class, 
and  attended  no  other  institution  of  learning  afterwards.  He  be- 
came a  civil  engineer.  His  son  says  he  was  not  in  actual  military 
service  during  the  War  of  1861-65,  but  was  in  the  employ  of  the 
United  States  Government,  as  a  civil  engineer,  in  1861-62. 

On  July  10,  1863,  he  was  taken  from  his  home  by  the  Con- 
federates, and  kept  in  military  prisons  at  Lewisburg,  Dublin,  Castle 
Thunder  (Richmond),  and  Salisbury,  North  Carolina.  In  the  last- 
named  prison  he  died  on  September  28,  1864. 

He  was  a  very  strong  Union  man,  and,  when  arrested,  he  was 
engaged  in  making  a  large  map  of  a  tract  of  land,  under  orders  of 
the  Court;  and  it  was  reported  to  the  Confederate  authorities  that 
it  was  a  map  of  the  county  for  the  Union  forces;  hence  his  arrest 
and  imprisonment. 

He  was  greatly  interested  in  education,  and  owned  a  schoolhouse 
at  his  home  where  he  taught  school  in  the  winter  months,  when  he 
could  not  follow  his  profession  as  a  surveyor. 

He  married  Matilda  I.  Wood,  daughter  of  Amos  Wood,  of 
Fayette  County,  West  Virginia,  in   1853,  and  there  were  born  to 

•From  the  testimony  of  his  son,  he  was  not  regularly  enlisted  as  a  soldier. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  505 

them  three  children,  Alexander  W.  Hamilton  (now  a  lawyer  in 
Fayetteville,  West  Virginia,  and  a  most  courteous  gentleman), 
William  T.  Hamilton,  and  Mrs.  James  E.  Bailey. 

Augustus  Berry  Williams  was  a  liuetenant  in  the  8th  Virginia 
Regiment  (Union),  and  served  with  credit  throughout  the  War. 
He  entered  the  Institute  in  1860.  He  is  still  living,  a  respected 
merchant,  in  Charleston,  West  Virginia.  He  is  a  most  loyal 
Alumnus,  and  has  frequently  corresponded  with  the  writer.  He 
went  to  Richmond  with  the  Corps  under  Jackson  in  April,  1861, 
and  drilled  Southern  volunteers  until  July,  when  he  was  discharged 
and  returned  to  Kanawha  County,  and  later  entered  the  Union 
Army.  His  parents  were:  John  Williams,  born  in  New  York  City, 
and  Mary  Berry,  born  in  Kanawha  County,  Va.   (W.  Va.). 

James  Seabrook  was  from  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  though  his  paternal 
ancestors  were  prominent  citizens  of  Richmond,  Virginia,  until  the 
middle  of  the  last  century.  He  entered  the  Institute  the  summer 
before  the  War  began.  He  enlisted  in  Company  E,  35th  New 
Jersey  Volunteers,  and  was  killed  by  "bushwhackers,"  February  15, 
1864.  His  father  was  Thomas  Seabrook,  of  Pittsburg,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  his  mother  was  born  Eveline  Tingey  Barber,  of  New 
Jersey  (niece  of  Commodore  Tingey,  of  the  U.  S.  Navy). 

Surgeon  Stephen  Dandridge  Kennedy,  of  the  United  States 
Navy,  during  the  War  of  1861-65,  was  a  Virginian  whose  family 
was  very  prominent  in  Jefferson  County.  He  was  educated  at  the 
Institute,  the  University  of  Virginia,  and  the  University  of  Mary- 
land, receiving  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine  from  the  last- 
named  institution,  in  1855.  He  practised  his  profession  in  Balti- 
more till  1861,  when  he  was  appointed  a  surgeon  in  the  United 
States  Navy.  He  served  gallantly  with  Admiral  Farragut,  and 
some  years  after  the  War  purchased  a  farm  in  Fauquier  County, 
Virginia,  upon  which  he  settled. 

We  have  thus  spoken  in  detail  of  every  one  of  the  fourteen 
gradutes  and  eleves  wlio  served  with  honor  in  the  Federal  Military 
Establishment,  during  the  War.  What  of  the  fifteenth?  It  were 
well  had  he  never  been  born,  or,  at  least,  had  never  become  a  cadet 
of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute ;  for  then,  he  would  have  escaped 
the  dishonor  that  attaches  to  his  memory  now.  Who  was  this  man? 
He  was  William  Henry  Gillespie,  son  of  Dr.  James  Lindsay 
Gillespie,  of  Louisa  County  (and  later  Page  County),  Virginia,  and 
Mary  Harrison  Hall,  daughter  of  John  Byrd  Hall,  of  Fredericks- 
burg, Virginia,  and  his  wife,  Harriet  Stringfellow,  of  Culpeper 
County,  Virginia. 

Gillespie  entered  the  Second  Class  in  the  fall  of  1860.  He 
stood  very  high  in  his   Class,  and  appears   to  have   attracted  the 


506  The  Military  History  of 

special  attention  of  Major  Jackson,  one  of  his  instructors.  In  April, 
1861.  he  went  with  the  Corps  to  Richmond.  His  future  movements 
are  related  by  himself  in  a  letter  to  General  Scott  Shipp,  Superin- 
tendent, Virginia  Military  Institute,  bearing  date,  "Sistersville, 
West  Virgina,  September  22,  1897,"  as  follows: 

"Dear  Sir — Please  send  me  a  Register  of  the  Graduates  of  the 
V.  M.  I.  I  wish  you  would  inform  me  how  much  I  would  have  to 
remit  to  obtain  a  Diploma  from  your  institution,  showing  the  fact 
that  I  graduated  in  1861   (or  1862,  I  forget  which). 

"I  have  in  my  possession  a  highly  complimentary  letter  from 
'Stonewall  Jackson,'  directing  me  to  meet  him  at  Winchester,  Va., 
and  promising  me  a  commission  as  lieutenant  of  engineers  on  his 
staff.  I  obeyed  his  order,  and  reported  to  him  at  Taylor's  Hotel, 
in  Winchester,  and  was  informed  by  him  that  I  must  stay  with  his 
staff  (but  not  on  duty),  until  my  appointment  would  come. 

"I  slept  by  his  side  in  the  'fence  corners'  at  night,  on  his  retreat 
from  Winchester,  with  General  Banks  in  pursuit,  asking  him  every 
day  why  my  appointment  had  not  come;  until  at  New  Market, 
opposite  my  home  in  the  Luray  Valley,  I  asked  him  again,  and  he 
replied  rather  curtly  that  he  did  not  know,  unless  it  was  because 
my  father  was  accused  of  disloyalty.  I  knew  at  that  time  that  my 
father  had  been  arrested  at  Luray  for  being  a  Union  man;  had 
been  confined  in  jail  at  Luray  under  such  charges;  had  been  after- 
wards released  from  jail,  under  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus  (granted  by 
Judge  John  W.  Tyler,  of  the  Fauquier  District)  ;  and  (that)  after 
his  release  by  order  of  Judge  Tyler,  he  was  arrested  by  some  of 
General  Longstreet's  Corps,  and  was  confined  in  the  Guard  House 
at  Orange  Court  House,  from  which  he  escaped  at  night,  and  after 
a  desperate  endeavor  to  reach  the  Union  lines,  he  finally  succeeded ; 
and  (that),  upon  examination  by  Major-General  H.  W.  Slocum. 
he  was  recommended  to  Abraham  Lincoln  by  the  General,  and 
(that)  Lincoln  directed  in  a  letter  to  General  Banks,  that  'Dr. 
Gillespie  be  taken  to  his  home  in  the  Luray  Valle^^,  and  be 
protected.' 

"After  my  rebuff  from  General  Jackson  at  New  Market,  being 
only  a  mere  boy,  and  knowing  part  of  the  facts  described,  I  went 
home;  and  being  an  only  son,  told  my  mother  that  I  had  no  other 
recourse  but  to  hide  at  home,  until  the  Union  troops  occupied  the 
Valley,  and,  then,  to  follow  the  fortunes  of  my  noble  father. 

"Some  of  these  days,  possibly  soon,  I  will  visit  the  V.  M.  I. 
and  show  vou  all  the  paper.  [He  died  two  months  afterwards.^ 
Ed.] 

"My  father  was.  in  the  latter  part  of  the  War,  surgeon-in-chief 
of  the  Third  Brigade  of  Carroll's  Division  of  Hancock's  Corps,  ap- 
pointed by  General  Carroll,  and  (the  appointment)  signed  by  'Wm. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  507 

AIcKinley,  Jr.,  Major  and  Asst.  Adjt.-Genl.,  which  papers  I  also 
have. 

"Please  let  me  hear  from  you  at  your  earliest  convenience. 

"With  high  respect, 

"I  am  very  truly  yours, 

"Wm.  H.  Gillespie. 

"I  will  also  mention  that  while  my  father  and  myself  went 
with  General  Shields  to  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  the  Confederate  mails 
were  opened  in  the  Luray  Valley,  and  that  my  mother,  at  home, 
received  the  long-delaj^ed  letter  from  Richmond,  sending  my  ap- 
pointment as  lieutenant  of  engineers,  signed  by  J-  P.  Benjamin, 
Secretary  of  War,  which  I  also  have." 

Is  this  a  novelist's  fiction  ?  Or  is  it  historical  truth  ?  Did  this 
old  "V.  M.  I.  Boy"^ — a  pupil  of  Jackson — accept  the  proffered  ap- 
pointment to  his  personal  staff ;  sleep  by  his  side ;  share  with 
others  of  his  staff  the  high  honor  of  his  confidence  and  comrade- 
ship, as  fellow-soldiers  in  a  sacred  Cause,  and  then  desert  to  the 
enemy?     Alas,  for  the  frailty  of  human  nature,  it  is  even  so! 

He  was  placed  in  a  trying  position,  there  is  no  doubt.  He 
was  in  a  strait  betwixt  two  duties  (as  he  conceived),  the  one  hold- 
ing him  to  his  honor,  as  a  soldier,  the  other  drawing  him  to  his 
persecuted  father,  as  a  son!  It  must  have  been,  indeed,  a  sore  trial 
for  a  youth  barely  seventeen  years  of  age,  to  be  subjected  to;  and 
one  can  not  but  feel  a  natural  pity  and  sorrow  for  the  perplexed 
boy,  from  the  standpoint  of  humanity  alone.  But,  a  soldier  is  not 
permitted  to  yield  to  the  softer  virtues ;  nor  can  he  debate  in  his 
own  mind  questions  of  casuistry.  His  paramount  duty  is  to  yield 
implicit  and  unquestioning  obedience  to  military  law ;  to  sink  all 
personal  preferences ;  to  ignore  the  promptings  even  of  the  human 
heart,  and  to  disregard  the  common  amenities  of  private  life.  It  is 
his  to  heed,  and  instantly  respond  to,  the  stern  call  of  Duty,  what- 
ever may  betide.  Then,  in  this  view,  the  conduct  of  young  Gillespie 
was  reprehensible  in  the  extreme.     He  deserted  his  colors! 

It  is  true,  he  had  not  formally  enlisted  in  the  Confederate  Army ; 
but  he  had  technically  done  so,  when  he  obeyed  the  summons  of 
Jackson,  and  repaired  to  his  headquarters,  to  await  the  coming  of 
the  commission  promised  him  as  a  lieutenant  of  engineers  on  Jack- 
son's staff.  What  must  have  been  his  thoughts  when  the  belated 
commission  finally  reached  him !  What  iron}-  of  F'ate !  What  a 
tragedy  of  his  earlier  hopes  and  aspirations !  To  serve  with 
Jackson  (his  sister,  the  last  of  his  father's  famih',  wrote  the 
Historiographer  of  the  Institute)  had  been  his  highest  ambition — 
the  dream  of  his  life.  He  had  lost  the  opportunity  he  had  so 
fondly  coveted ;  he  had  crucified  his  honorable  ambition ;  and  the 
future  looked  dreary  indeed  to  this  young  Union  soldier. 


508  The  Military  History  of 

We  know  nothing  of  his  military  life  till  after  the  repulse 
of  the  P'ederal  General  Hunter,  before  Lynchburg,  in  June,  1864. 
His  regiment — the  14th  West  Virginia  Infantry — was  in  Hunter's 
Army.  No  doubt,  he  had  been  in  the  disastrous  rout  at  New 
Market,  and  possibly  had  witnessed  the  famous  charge  of  the  Cadet 
Battalion  there.  He  had  certainly  passed  through  Lexington,  with 
Hunter's  later  victorious  troops ;  had  witnessed  the  destruction  of 
his  once-dear  Alma  Mater;  and  had  seen  the  "Old  Corps"  retreat- 
ing before  Hunter's  twenty  thousand  soldiers.  What  must  have 
been  his  feelings,  at  this  time? 

But,  we  hear  of  him  again,  when  on  the  17th  and  18th  of  June, 
his  regiment  was  engaged  near  Lynchburg.     Let  his  colonel  speak: 

"Headquarters,  Fourteenth  W.  Va.  Vol.  Inf'y, 

"Camp  Piatt,  W.  Va.,  July  3,  1864. 

"Lieutenant — I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  in  the  engage- 
ment of  the  17th  and  18th  days  of  June,  1864,  near  Lynchburg, 
Va.,  the  officers  and  men,  almost  without  exception,  displayed  great 
courage  and  heroism.  The  Fourteenth  West  Virginia  Volunteer 
Infantry  formed  the  right  of  the  second  line  of  battle  of  the  Second 
Brigade,  and  advanced  in  good  order,  and  with  a  great  deal  of 
enthusiasm,  in  support  of  the  first  line  of  battle,  each  officer  per- 
forming his  duty  with  great  credit,  with  the  single  exception  of 
First  Lieutenant  William  H.  Gillespie,  adjutant  of  the  regiment. 
[Italics  the  author's.]  On  the  17th  day  of  June,  as  we  were  ad- 
vancing, when  the  first  line  opened  fire  upon  the  enemy,  Lieutenant 
Gillespie  exhibited  great  cowardice  by  dodging  behind  trees, 
stumps,  etc.  The  regiment  had  advanced  but  a  few  hundred  yards, 
when  Lieutenant  Gillespie  fell  entirely  behind,  and  did  not  rejoin 
the  regiment  until  after  dark,  when  the  firing  had  ceased.  On  the 
18th,  when  the  rebel  batteries  opened  upon  our  brigade,  he  again 
abandoned  his  regiment,  went  to  the  rear,  and  did  not  rejoin  his 
command  until  the  next  morning,  several  miles  from  the  battle- 
field. Summary  dismissal,  I  think,  would  be  an  adequate  punish- 
ment for  his  offense. 


"Very  respectfully  yours, 

"D.  D.  Johnson, 

"Colonel. 
"Lieut.  William  B.  Nesbitt, 

"A.  A.  A.-G.,  Second  Brigade, 
"Second  Division, 

"Department  of  West  Virginia." 

The  above  report  is  taken  from  "War  of  Rebellion  Official 
Record  of  the  Union  and  Confederate  Armies,  Series  I.  Vol. 
XXXVII." 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  509 

Diligent  search  through  the  "Rebellion  Records"  has  failed  to 
find  that  Lieutenant  Gillespie  was  either  dismissed,  or  brought  to 
trial  before  a  Court-Martial ;  nor  is  he  mentioned  again  in  the 
Records. 

This  will  naturally  be  thought  a  doubly  ignominious  ending  of 
the  career  of  Gillespie,  the  Deserter.  But  the  writer  does  not  be- 
lieve it  was  quite  as  bad  as  it  looks ;  he  does  not  think  he  was  a 
coward.  He  believes  that  his  apparently  shameless  conduct  was 
the  result  of  a  set  purpose  (dangerous  as  it  was)  to  fight  no  longer 
against  the  Confederates,  because  he  knew  the  Union  Army  was 
opposed,  in  part,  by  the  Corps  of  Cadets  of  the  V.  M.  I. — his 
quondam  comrades ;  and  it  does  not  require  a  very  great  stretch  of 
the  imagination  to  arrive  at  the  writer's  conclusion.  Let  us,  at 
least,  give  the  poor,  misguided  fellow  the  benefit  of  our  charitable 
doubt. 

After  the  War,  Gillespie  went  with  his  father  to  Iowa.  In  1873, 
he  returned  to  West  Virginia.  When  he  was  about  forty  years  old 
he  married,  and,  to  please  his  father,  he  took  a  course  of  medical 
lectures  in  Baltimore.  He  seems  to  have  been  ever  a  dutiful  and 
devoted  son,  at  least.  He  practised  medicine  only  a  short  while, 
giving  it  up  for  the  real  estate  business.  He  died  of  pneumonia  at 
St.  Vincent's  Hospital,  New  York,  on  November  10,  1897. 

His  dear  old  mother  lived  to  be  nearly  eighty-nine  years  of 
age,  dying  at  the  home  of  her  only  child  (a  daughter),  at  Sisters- 
ville,  West  Virginia,  February  10,  1907.  Her  husband  died  in 
1892.  She  was  a  great-granddaughter  of  William  Byrd,  of  West- 
over,  and  was  a  woman  of  most  saintly  character,  and  was  beloved 
by  hosts  of  friends.  She  was  a  life-long  member  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  and  a  beautiful  obituary  of  her  was  published  in  the 
Church  papers. 

The  Historiographer  of  the  Institute  wrote  to  Gillespie's  sister, 
and  begged  her  to  disabuse  his  mind,  if  possible,  of  the  conviction 
(confirmed,  alas,  by  herself)  that  her  brother  had  deserted  the 
Confederate  cause.  She  replied  very  kindly,  but  said  nothing  to 
soften  the  hard,  cruel  facts:  "The  word  'deserter,'  without  doubt, 
would  not  look  well  in  history,"  she  wrote,  and  added.  "You 
have  my  permission  to  write  it  your  own  way.  I  have  ceased  long 
ago  to  worry  over  small  things.     'Let  the  dead  past  bury  its  dead'." 

This  sister  had  previously  written,  and  furnished  the  Histori- 
ographer, a  sketch  of  Dr.  Gillespie.  In  part,  she  wrote:  "My 
brother's  education  was  conducted  at  home,  in  Luraj'^,  Va.,  until 
he  was  sixteen  years  of  age,  when  he  was  sent  to  Harrisonburg, 
Va.,  to  attend  a  college  for  boys.  He  remained  at  that  place  until 
1860.  the  year  of  his  matriculation  at  the  V.  M.  I.  In  1861.  he 
was  sent  with  other  cadets,  under  General  Wise,  to  the  Kanawha 
Valley,  to  drill  recruits  for  the  Confederate  Army.  [He  evidently 
went  with  the  Corps  to  Richmond,  under  Jackson,  in  April,  and  this 


510  The  Military  History  of 

is  confirmed  by  his  classmate,  the  late  Rev.  W.  E.  Hill. — Ed.]  At 
that  time,  he  was  given  (what  he  always  thought  his  greatest  glory) 
a  position  by  'Stonewall  Jackson'  on  his  Staff,  ranking  as  captain. 
Late  that  summer,  hearing  of  his  father's  persecutions  by  the  Con- 
federates, naturally,  his  views  changed  entirely;  he  deserted,  came 
home,  and  was  given  a  place  in  the  14th  Regiment,  West  Va. 
Volunteers,  as  adjutant.  He  remained  with  the  same  regiment  until 
he   was   given  his   honorable   discharge,   at   the   close   of  the   War. 

What  is  the  reader's  verdict  in  this  pathetic  case.^  Whatever 
it  shall  be,  the  case  is  without  parallel:  that  a  man  should  serve  as 
an  officer  in  the  Federal  Army,  and  yet  esteem  it  the  greatest  honor 
of  his  life  to  have  been  asked  to  serve  on  Stonewall  Jackson's  Staff; 
or,  to  state  the  case  more  strongly  (as  it  really  was),  to  have  ac- 
cepted a  tentative  appointment  on  Jackson's  Staff,  and,  then,  to 
desert  to  the  enemy!* 

Considering  the  fact  of  the  large  number  of  matriculates  from 
the  Northwestern  border  of  the  Old  Dominion,  it  is  rather  remark- 
able that  only  fifteen  are  found  to  have  actively  served  in  the 
Union  Army.  But  there  was  not  one  of  these,  we  feel  sure,  but 
often  recalled  that  long  ere  he  donned  the  blue  uniform  of  the 
Union,  he  had  responded  to  the  reveille  of  life,  while  wearing  the 
grey  coatee,  and  that  the  flag  he  first  learned  to  love  and  to  follow 
was  the  white  field,  unsullied  as  the  driven  snow — emblazoned  only 
with  the  features  of  Washington  and  the  name  of  Virginia 
Military  Institute. 

There  is  but  one  other  Alumnus,  so  far  discovered,  who  deserted 
the  Confederate  Army,  and  his  case  is  so  flagrant  and  so  plain, 
that  we  feel  it  to  be  our  duty  to  thus  publicly  name  him.  It  is 
William  James  Sargeant,  graduate  of  the  Class  of  1856,  from 
Louisa  County,  Virginia.  He  was  of  plain  but  respectable  origin, 
and  was  a  State  Cadet.  His  course  at  the  Institute  was  quite 
creditable,  and,  after  graduating,  he  followed  the  profession  of 
teaching.  When  the  War  broke  out,  he  was  elected  captain  of  a 
company  raised  in  the  "Green  Springs,"  Louisa  County,  called  the 
"Louisa  Grays,"  which  was  assigned  as  Company  H  to  the  23d 
Virginia  Infantry.  He  was  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Kerns- 
town;  and,  though,  when  he  was  released,  he  returned  to  Virginia, 
he  remained  only  a  short  while,  and  then  went  to  Parkersburg, 
West  Virginia,  and  never  returned  to  the  Confederate  States. 

(•onfP,fi!-«^ti'  iffin«.  \,7^°^^^'^^A.'^^'^  ^*s  »  <^»<*et  with  Gillespie,  and  a  superb 
Sws  :  '  '  ""  ^^^^'  *''  *^^  Historiographer  of  the  Institute    as 

Virsinia^'«nrl*'i?P%''/v«''^I'*^  death.  I  met  poor  old  Gillespie  in  Charleston,  West 
you  now  |?ve."  substantially  the  same  account  of  his  desertion  that 

Maior  V*  f'ohP^f."h«in^^f''?'i?il?.*^^*"y"*°^^*^.'^^^^S  ^^^"^  ^  fl°e  mathematician. 
-Major   \>.   A.   UDencnam    (   First  Honor"   Graduate)     whom    GillesniA  came-   vai-v 

HiU  •  tnd''tSf    atte^-' ad^d^^'^^-lf  '-.^thematict.'^ind  thTlate  ReT  wlmam^^B^ 

CorVs•"of''•6^''^;.1nes%'STo^^eT^^^^^  ^'^  ^"'^   ^'^"^'^  -'  '"^^  -O''^   ^'- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  511 

Two  of  his  countymen,  both  graduates  of  the  Institute,  who 
knew  the  facts,  declared  he  deserted  the  Confederate  Cause.  One 
of  these  gentlemen,  still  living,  a  gallant  officer  in  the  C.  S.  A., 
thus  wrote,  October  17,  1903,  to  the  Historiographer  of  the 
Institute,  in  reply  to  the  latter's  request  for  such  facts  as  he 
possessed  bearing  on  the  subject: 

"I  am  certain  of  Sargeant  (his  desertion).  He  was  the  son  of 
the  old  overseer  at  'Grassdale.'  He  went  out  as  captain  of  the 
company  from  this  neighborhood,  which  was  assigned  to  the  23d 
Virginia  Infantry,  Taliaferro's  Brigade,  Jackson's  Division.  At 
the  battle  of  Kernstown.  he  allowed  himself  to  be  captured,  because 
he  was  afraid  to  run,  when  we  were  ordered  to  fall  back.  At  the 
reorganization  of  the  Army,  he  was  in  prison,  and  was  not  reelected 
captain.  When  he  was  exchanged,  he  came  back  home  [he  lived 
only  a  few  miles  from  the  home  of  this  correspondent]  ;  and,  to 
avoid  being  conscripted,  started  out  to  join  Mosby,  in  the  summer 
of  1862.  But  he  went  to  West  Virginia,  near  Parkersburg,  where 
he  stayed,  during  the  War." 

The  other  1860  graduate  from  Sargeant's  county  who  wrote 
about  him  was  the  late  gallant  Captain  William  B.  Pendleton.     He 

said:    "I   note  what  you  say  about  Sargeant,   H ,  and  others. 

Certainly,  it  would  be  proper  to  enter  the  record  (the  honorable 
record)  of  all  you  mention — except  Sargeant.  As  to  him,  I  think 
if  anything  is  said  about  him,  it  should  be  so  expressed  as  to  put 
him  where  he  belongs.  Of  course,  if  there  is  any  doubt  about  his 
desertion,  he  should  have  the  benefit  of  the  doubt.  I  don't  know 
that  he  deserted,  but  I  have  always  heard  he  did ;  and  if  it  can  be 
shown  clearly  that  he  did,  it  was  a  crime  of  the  blackest  sort,  and 
should  be  branded  as  it  deserves." 

After  searching  for  years,  the  Historiographer  discovered  a 
sister  of  Captain  Sargeant,  the  last  surviving  member  of  his 
father's  family ;  and  she  sent  him  a  brief  biographical  sketcli  of 
her  brother  for  his  annals.  In  that  part  relating  to  the  War  she 
said:  "Captain  of  'Louisa  Grays'  21st  (?)  Virginia  Regiment. 
Taken  prisoner  at  battle  of  Kernstown ;  confined  at  Fort  Dela- 
ware three  months.  "  Under  another  heading,  she  said:  "Married 
Maria  Henderson,  daughter  of  Robert  Porter  Henderson.  Parkers- 
burg, West  Virginia.  Married  about  186 Jf  [italics  the  writer's], 
exact  date  unknown";  and  she  adds:  "Removed  to  California  in 
the  early  seventies  and  became  assistant  professor  in  a  college 
(exact  location  unknown),  until  he  lost  his  hearing,  and  died  in 
Los  Angeles,  in  the  71st  year  of  his  age."  (A  brother — since 
died — had  previously  written  that  he  died  "about  1899.") 

Captain  Samuel  V.  Fulkerson,  in  his  report  of  the  part  borne 
by  the  23d  Virginia  Infantry,  in  the  battle  of  Kernstown.  March 
23.  1862,  said:    "Captain  Sargeant  is  reported  'missing'." 


512  The  Military  History  or 

Upon  receiving  the  sketch  above  mentioned,  the  Historiographer 
addressed  the  following  letter  to  Sargeant's  sister: 

"Lee,  Va.,  November  i,  1910. 

"My  DEAR  Madam — Your  kind  letter,  enclosing  a  sketch  of  your 
brother,  the  late  Captain  William  James  Sargeant,  of  Louisa 
County,  Virginia,  graduate  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute, 
Class  1856,  has  just  come,  and  I  return  my  warm  acknowledgments. 

"The  records  in  my  hands  show  that  your  brother  was  com- 
missioned captain  of  the  'Louisa  Grays,'  Co.  H,  23d  (not  21st) 
Virginia  Infantry,  C.  S.  A.,  but  that  he  was  succeeded  by  Captain 
Saunders. 

"It  has  been  stated  to  me  that  after  he  gave  up  his  command, 
there  were  'rumors'  that  he  left  the  Confederate  Army,  and  the 
Confederate  States. 

"If  these  rumors  are  unjust  and  untrue,  I  want  you  to  give  me 
the  authority  to  deny  them.  The  memory  of  your  brother,  I  know, 
is  precious  to  jou;  and,  as  a  fellow  V.  M.  I.  Alumnus,  I  want  to 
protect  it,  if  possible.  I  hope,  therefore,  you  will  tell  me  what 
he  did  after  being  released  from  prison  at  Fort  Delaware ;  and 
whether  he  rejoined  the  Confederate  Army,  and,  if  so,  what 
command  ? 

"You  say  he  married  in  Parkersburg,  West  Virginia,  in  1864. 
That  place  was  within  the  enemy's  lines,  throughout  the  War. 
Possibly  you  named  the  wrong  place. 

"I  am,  very  sincerely,  etc." 

No  reply  was  ever  received  to  this  letter.  We  are,  therefore, 
reluctantly  forced  to  believe  that  this  one  graduate  deserted  his  flag, 
as  charged. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  513 


APPENDIX  I 


PREPARED    BY    JOS.    R.    ANDERSON. 


THE  INSTITUTE'S  CONTRIBUTION  TO  THE  MEXICAN 

WAR 

While  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  was  yet  in  its  infancy,  it 
found  an  opportunity  to  demonstrate  its  worth  as  a  School  of  Arms 
— in  the  Mexican  War.  This  war  was  waged  to  decide  the  question 
of  boundary  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico.  Our  govern- 
ment made  a  proposal  to  settle  the  controversy  by  negotiation,  but 
the  authorities  of  Mexico  scornfully  rejected  it,  and  military  opera- 
tions quickly  ensued.  It  was  known  than  an  Army  of  Mexicans 
was  gathering  in  the  northern  part  of  the  country,  for  the  invasion 
of  Texas,  or,  at  least,  for  the  occupation  of  the  disputed  territory. 

On  the  8th  of  March,  1846,  in  obedience  to  orders  from  our 
government,  the  American  Army,  under  General  Zachary  Taylor, 
advanced  to  the  Rio  Grande  River,  took  position  opposite 
Matamoros,  and  hastily  erected  a  fortress,  afterwards  called  Fort 
Brown.  The  historian  tells  us  that  "on  April  26th,  General 
Ampudia,  commander  of  the  Mexican  frontier,  notified  General 
Taylor  that  hostilities  had  begun.  On  the  same  day,  a  company  of 
American  dragoons,  commanded  by  Captain  Thornton,  was  at- 
tacked by  a  body  of  Mexicans,  east  of  the  Rio  Grande  River,  and, 
after  losing  sixteen  men  in  killed  and  wounded,  was  obliged  to 
surrender.     This  was  the  first  bloodshed  of  the  war."* 

General  Taylor  hastened  to  strengthen  the  defenses  at  Point 
Isobel,  and  to  safeguard  the  supplies  established  there,  and  then 
set  out  with  a  provision  train,  and  an  Army  of  more  than  two 
thousand  men,  to  return  to  Fort  Brown  which  was  under  the  com- 
mand of  Major  Brown,  with  a  garrison  of  three  hundred  men. 
"Meanwhile,  the  Mexicans,  to  the  number  of  six  thousand,  had 
crossed  the  Rio  Grande  and  taken  a  strong  position  at  Palo  Alto, 
directly  in  Taylor's  route.  At  noon,  on  the  8th  of  May,  the  Amer- 
icans came  in  sight,  and  immediately  joined  battle.  After  an  en- 
gagement of  five  hours'  duration,  the  Mexicans  were  driven  from 
the  field,  with  the  loss  of  a  hundred  men.  The  American  Artillery 
was  served  with  signal  effect,  while  the  fighting  of  the  enemy  was 
clumsy  and  ineffectual.  Only  four  Americans  were  killed,  and  forty 
wounded;  but  among  the  former  was  the  gallant  and  much- 
lamented  Major  Ringgold,  of  the  Artillery. 

♦Ridpath's   History   of   the   United    States. 


S3 


.514  The  Military  History  of 

"On  the  following  day,  General  Taylor  resumed  his  march  in 
the  direction  of  Fort  Brown.  When  within  three  miles  of  that 
place,  he  again  came  upon  the  Mexicans  who  had  rallied  in  full 
force  to  dispute  his  advance.  They  had  selected  for  their  second 
battlefield  a  place  called  Resaca  de  la  Palma.  Here,  an  old  river- 
bed, dry  and  overgrown  with  cactus,  crossed  the  road  leading  to 
the  fort.  The  enemy's  artillery  was  well  posted,  and  better  served 
than  on  the  previous  day ;  the  American  lines  were  severely  galled 
until  the  brave  Captain  May,  with  his  regiment  of  dragoons, 
charged  through  a  storm  of  grapeshot,  rode  over  the  Mexican 
batteries,  sabred  the  gunners,  and  captured  La  Vega,  the  command- 
ing general.  The  Mexicans,  abandoning  theirs  guns  and  flinging 
away  their  accoutrements,  fled  in  a  general  rout.  Before  nightfall, 
they  had  put  the  Rio  Grande  between  themselves  and  tlie  in^  incible 
Americans. 

"On  reaching  Fort  Brown,  General  Taylor  found  that  during 
his  absence  the  place  had  been  constantly  bombarded  by  the  guns 
of  Matamoros.  But  a  brave  defense  had  been  made,  which  cost, 
with  other  losses  and  suffering,  the  life  of  Major  Brown,  the 
commandant. 

"Such  was  the  beginning  of  a  war  in  which  Mexico  experienced 
a  long  list  of  humiliating  defeats.  When  the  news  of  the  battle  of 
the  Rio  Grande  was  borne  through  the  Union,  the  war  spirit  was 
everywhere  aroused.  The  President,  in  a  message  to  Congress, 
notified  that  body  that  the  lawless  soldiery  of  Mexico  had  shed  the 
blood  of  American  citizens,  on  American  soil. 

"On  the  13th  of  May,  1846,  Congress  promptly  responded  with 
a  declaration  that  war  already  existed  by  the  act  of  the  Mexican 
government.  .  .  .  War  meetings  were  held  in  all  parts  of  the 
country;  and,  within  a  few  weeks,  nearly  three  hundred  thousand 
men  rushed  forward  to  enter  the  ranks."* 

Among  these  patriots,  stood  twenty-five  "V.  M.  I.  Boys."  Here 
are  their  names: 

A.  C.  CuMMiNGs  Edward  C.  Carrington 
H.  L.  Shields  D.  S.  Lee 

G.   A.    PORTERFIELD  C.    P.    DeYERLE 

B.  D.  Fry  W.  a.  Scott 
J.  L,  Bryan  T.  S.  Garnett 
R.  C.  W.  Radford  Andrew  Jackson 
Isaac  W.  Smith  H.  W.  Williamson 

C.  R.  Munford  B.  T.  Hunter 

A.  C.    LaYNE  J.    B.    DORMAN 

B.  F.  FicKLiN  R.  G.  Ross 
A.  W.  SouTHALL  C.  E.  Carter 

A.  M.  McCorkle  J.  E.  Slaughter 

R.  H.  Keeling 


•Ridpath's  History  of  the  United   States. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  515 

Of  the  above  named,  nine  were  in  the  regular  Army  and  sixteen 
in  the  Vohmteers.  One  was  a  major  (by  brevet) ;  three  were 
captains  (two  of  brevet);  fifteen  were  lieutenants;  two  were 
non-commissioned  officers ;  and  four  were  privates ;  and  four  of 
the  twenty-five  met  death,  during  the  War,  or  owing  to  the  War. 

It  seems  most  fitting  that  brief  records  of  these  twenty-five 
gallant  young  soldiers — the  first  sons  of  their  Alma  Mater  to  go 
to  war— should  be  given  in  this  Military  History  of  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute,  from  1839  to  1861.  We,  therefore,  proceed  to 
give  them. 

Major  (by  brevet)  Arthur  Campbell  Cummings,  of  Washing- 
ton County,  Virginia.  Graduated  1844.  Son  of  James  and  Mary 
Cummings;  born  October  1,  1822,  on  the  location  of  the  first 
settlement  made  by  his  great-grandfather,  the  Rev.  Charles 
Cummings,  about  three  miles  west  of  Abingdon,  in  about  the  year 
1774. 

He  was  licensed  to  practise  law  in  1846.  In  May,  1846,  he 
raised,  and  was  elected  captain  of,  two  different  volunteer  com- 
panies whose  services  were  offered  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States  for  the  war  just  beginning;  but  the  offer  was  declined,  as 
the  full  quota  of  volunteers  had  been  received.  He  was  deter- 
minded  to  go  to  the  War,  however,  and  obtained  a  commission  from 
the  President  as  captain  of  Co.  K,  11th  Regiment  of  U.  S.  Infantry, 
which  company  he  and  his  lieutenants  enlisted  at  Abingdon,  Vir- 
ginia, Chillicothe,  Ohio,  and  Wlieeling,  Virginia.  He  was  ordered 
to  join  his  regiment,  and  reached  Vera  Cruz  with  his  company. 
July  1,  1847,  and  was  attached  to  the  command  of  Major  Lally. 
His  command  was  the  first  to  leave  Vera  Cruz  after  the  Army 
under  General  Scott  liad  begun  its  march  on  the  City  of  Mexico. 
Captain  Cummings  was  dangerously  wounded  in  an  engagement 
with  a  large  gTierrilla  force  at  Paso  Ovejas,  near  the  National 
Bridge  leading  to  the  City  of  Mexico;  and,  on  August  15,  1847,  he 
was  made  brevet  major  for  gallant  conduct  in  that  engagement. 

He  continued  to  serve  with  great  credit  till  the  War  ended.  He 
was  mustered  out  of  the  service,  August  19,  1848.  On  his  return 
home,  he  resumed  the  practice  of  law.  He  was  commissioned 
colonel  of  the  Fifth  Regiment  of  Artillery,  in  the  State's  Militia, 
on  October  22,  1849. 

In  May,  1861,  he  was  commissioned  colonel  of  Virginia  Volun- 
teers, and  was  ordered  to  report  to  General  T.  J.  Jackson,  at 
Harper's  Ferry,  and  was  by  him  assigned  to  command  the  Second 
(afterwards  Tenth)  Regiment.  In  June,  1861,  by  order  of  General 
Jackson,  he  organized  the  Third  Regiment.  He  afterwards 
organized  the  Thirty-third  Regiment,  and  was  assigned  to  its 
command;  and  this  regiment  became  a  part  of  the  "Stonewall 
Brigade."      He    commanded    this    regiment    at    the    first    battle    of 


516  The  Military  History  of 

Manassas,  and  until  the  reorganization,  in  1862.  In  an  able  and 
interesting  paper  on  First  Manassas,  by  Colonel  William  T. 
Poague,  he  thus  speaks  of  Colonel  Cummings:  "On  the  19th  of 
March,  1905,  there  passed  away  at  Abingdon,  Virginia,  an  old 
gentleman  who,  in  my  opinion,  next  to  Evans,  Jackson,  and  the 
two  commanding  generals  (Beauregard  and  Johnston),  contributed 
as  much  as  (and  perhaps  more  than)  any  other  one  man  to  the 
defeat  of  the  Federals  at  First  Manassas.  I  refer  to  Colonel 
Arthur  C.  Cummings."  (He  alludes  to  tlie  capture  by  Colonel 
Cummings'  Regiment  of  the  famous  Griffin's  U.  S.  Battery.)  "At 
the  critical  moment,"  Colonel  Poague  continues,  "just  as  two  Fed- 
eral regiments  moved  to  the  right  of  the  batteries  (Griffin's  and 
Ricketts's),  for  their  support  and  protection — without  awaiting 
orders  from  a  su23erior — and  some  time  before  Jackson  ordered  the 
famous  charge  of  his  brigade,  Cummings  threw  his  men,  with  the 
suddenness  and  force  of  a  thunderbolt,  upon  McDowell's  right 
flank,  delivering  a  staggering  blow  that  crippled  and  demoralized 
his  Army  to  an  extent  well-nigh  incredible,  and  from  which  it 
never  recovered."  And  the  gallant  Colonel  adduces  evidence  to 
prove  his  assertion  from  eye  witnesses,  on  the  other  side,  such 
competent  and  credible  witnesses  as  Major  Berry,  Chief  of 
Artillery  of  McDowell's  Army,  and  Captain  Griffin  himself. 

Colonel  Poague  goes  further  and  claims  that  Colonel  Cummings's 
Thirty-third  Virginia  captured  Ricketts'  Battery  also.  Colonel 
Poague  further  says:  "Although  one  thrown  with  him  [Colonel 
Cummings]  would  be  impressed  with  the  nobility  of  his  character, 
and  be  compelled  to  recognize  his  intellectual  ability,  he  would  not 
learn  from  him — the  kind,  courteous,  pure-hearted,  modest  gentle- 
man— of  the  signal  service  rendered  his  country  in  the  hour  of 
trial  and  danger.     Peace  to  his  ashes !" 

Colonel  Cummings  three  times  represented  his  county  in  the 
General  Assembly  of  Virginia.  He  was  also  a  member,  at  one  time, 
of  the  Board  of  Visitors  of  the  Institute.  He  married  the  daughter 
of  the  Honorable  John  M.  Preston,  of  Smyth  County,  Virginia. 
His  wife  and  three  children  died  some  years  before  his  own  death, 
which  occurred  at  his  home  at  Abingdon,  March  19,  1905. 

At  the  March  term  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  Washington  County, 
beautiful  resolutions  were  passed  by  the  bar,  and  ordered  to  be 
entered  upon  the  record  of  the  Court,  testifying  to  "those  sterling 
traits  of  character— the  gift  of  God— which  marked  his  life,  and 
which  distinguished  his  career. 

"He  was  strong  in  intellect,  unbending  in  integrity,  indomitable 
in  will,  high  in  courage,  yet  he  was  eminently  just  and  humane  in 
feeling,  modest  by  nature,  and  gentle  as  a  woman  in  his  bearing 
towards  his  fellow-men. 

•  •  • 

"In  his  public  life  he  was  esteemed  one  of  the  wisest  and  most 
conservative  men  of  his  day.     His  excellent  judgment,  his  ability 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  517 

to  weigh  men  and  measures,  his  knowledge  of  the  rights  and  needs 
of  his  people,  and  his  courage  to  stand  by  his  convictions,  made  him 
at  once  a  leader  in  legislative  and  deliberative  bodies.  The  con- 
fidence of  his  constituents  in  his  judgment  of  public  measures  was 
so  great  that  his  conclusions,  when  announced,  were  generally 
adopted  and  followed  as  correct. 


"Your  Committee,"  thus  conclude  the  resolutions,  "offers  the 
foregoing  as  a  true  but  imperfect  tribute  to  the  memory  of  Colonel 
Arthur  C.  Cummings,  only  adding  that  he  wore  the  white  flower 
of  a  blameless  life." 

Captain  Daniel  Smith  Lee,  of  Shenandoah  County,  Virginia, 
matriculated  August  26,  1842.  He  did  not  complete  the  whole 
course.  His  father  was  John  Lee,  of  Strasburg,  who  was  born  at 
Winchester,  Va.,  and  his  mother  was  Mary  P.  Hupp,  born  at 
Strasburg.  He  was  living  at  Wheeling,  Virginia  (now  West  Vir- 
ginia), when  the  Mexican  War  broke  out.  He  was  appointed  by 
President  Polk  a  lieutenant  in  the  U.  S.  Infantry,  February  24, 
1847,  and  aided  his  former  V.  M.  I.  comrade,  Captain  A.  C. 
Cummings,  in  organizing  Company  K,  of  the  11th  U.  S.  Infantry, 
of  which  he  was  appointed,  August  11,  1847,  1st  lieutenant,  and 
on  the  same  day  was  made  regimental  adjutant.     On  August  20, 

1847,  he  was  brevetted  captain  "for  gallant  and  meritorious  con- 
duct in  the  battles  of  Contreras  and  Cherubusco."     On  August  14, 

1848,  he  was  honorably  mustered  out  of  the  service. 

He  later  removed  to  Iowa,  and  became  Adjutant-General  of 
that  State.  He  was  afterwards  appointed  United  States  Consul  at 
Basle,  Switzerland.  He  returned  home,  after  his  term  of  office 
expired,  and  was  again  appointed  to  the  same  post.  While  in 
Washington,  D.  C,  he  accidentally  shot  himself  in  the  foot  with  a 
pistol,  and  died  there  of  lockjaw,  resulting  from  the  wound, 
August  15,  1857. 

Colonel  A.  C.  Cummings,  in  an  interesting  letter  to  the  Histori- 
ographer of  the  Institute,  told  of  a  duel  Captain  Lee  fought,  while 
in  Mexico,  with  Lieutenant  (afterwards  Captain)  B.  F.  Harley,  of 
Philadelphia,  of  the  same  regiment,  in  which  Lieutenant  Thomas 
Jonathan  Jackson  acted  as  Lee's  second.  Lee  sent  the  challenge. 
The  duel  was  fought  near  the  small  town  of  Llrura,  near  the  base 
of  the  mountain,  going  from  the  City  of  Mexico,  where  the  11th 
Regiment  was  stationed.  The  weapons  used  were  Mississippi 
rifles,  at  thirty  paces.  Neither  party  was  hurt.  The  challenged 
party  (Harley)  demanded  a  second  fire,  which  was  declined,  and 
there  the  matter  ended.  Colonel  Cummings  said  he  did  not  himself 
witness  tlie  duel,  as  he  was  field-officer  of  the  day  when  it  came 
off,  and  he  was  not  supposed  to  know  what  was  going  on;  but  he 
said  he  knew  the  facts  were  as  stated,  as  he  had  obtained  them  from 
high-toned  gentlemen  who  were  present,  and  witnessed  the  affair. 


518  The  Military  History  or 

Captain  Lee  was  a  first  cousin  of  Judge  George  H.  Lee  (father 
of  two  Old  Cadets),  of  Winchester  (and  later  Clarksburg),  mem- 
ber of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Appeals  of  Virginia.  His  nearest 
surviving  relative  now  is  Mr.  R.  H.  Lee,  of  Strasburg,  Virginia. 

Captain  Hamilton  Leroy  Shields,  of  Norfolk,  Virginia.  His 
father  was  William  Cannon  Shields,  who  was  associate  editor  of  the 
Beacon  with  Hugh  Blair  Grigsby.  His  mother  was  Elizabeth 
Finch. 

At  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  became  a  member  of  the  first  Corps 
of  Cadets  that  relieved  the  State  Guard  at  the  Lexington  Arsenal, 
on  Novmber  11,  1839.  July  1,  1841,  he  was  entered  as  a  cadet  at 
the  United  States  Military  Academy,  and  was  graduated  July  1, 
1846,  number  24  in  a  class  of  59.  Among  his  classmates,  were 
Generals  "Stonewall"  Jackson,  George  E.  Pickett,  Cadmus  M. 
Wilcox,  Dabney  H.  Maury,  and  D.  R.  Jones  (afterwards  of  the 
Confederate  Army),  and  Generals  George  B.  McClellan,  George 
Stoneman,  and  Alfred  Gibbs,  of  the  Federal  Army. 

He  was  immediately  assigned  as  second  lieutenant  to  the  Second 
Artillery;  March  3,  1847,  he  was  transferred  to  the  Third 
Artillery.  August  20,  1847,  he  was  brevetted  first  lieutenant  "for 
gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  in  the  battles  of  Contreras  and 
Cherubusco" ;  September  8,  1847,  he  was  brevetted  captain  "for 
gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  in  the  battle  of  Molino  del  Rey, 
Mexico."  He  served  throughout  the  Mexican  War,  having  been 
engaged  in  the  assault  and  capture  of  the  Capitol. 

For  three  years,  to  September  20,  1853,  he  was  judge-advocate 
of  the  Eastern  Division  of  the  Army ;  was  aide-de-camp  to  General 
Wool,  from  November  15,  1853,  to  February  15,  1854;  was  ad- 
jutant. Third  Artillery,  February  15th  to  March  15,  1854.  He 
resigned  from  the  Army,  March  17,  1854.  In  1854-7,  he  was  a 
counsellor-at-law  in  New  York  City.  In  1857,  he  became  a  farmer, 
and  lived  near  Bennington,  Vt.  Captain  Shields  did  not  serve  in 
the  War  between  the  States.  He  married  Caroline  Hart,  of  Troy, 
New  York.  Seven  of  their  eight  children  were  living  in  1910.  On 
returning  from  the  Mexican  War,  the  City  of  Norfolk  presented 
him  with  a  sword.     He  died  November  24,  1889. 

First  Lieutenant  Birkett  Davenport  Fry,  of  Kanawha  County, 
Virginia.  He  was  matriculated  in  1840.  After  one  or  more  years, 
he  resigned  to  enter  West  Point.  His  father  was  Thornton  Fry, 
grandson  of  Colonel  Joshua  Fry,  who  figured  in  colonial  history. 
He  was  educated  at  Washington  College,  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute,  and  the  United  States  Military  Academy.  He  did  not 
graduate,  however,  at  the  last-named  institution,  leaving  there  to 
study  law.     He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1846. 

On  February  24,  1847,  he  was  appointed  first  lieutenant.  In- 
fantry.    On  April  9.  1847,  he  was  transferred  to  the  United  States 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  519 

Voltigeurs  as  first  lieutenant,  of  which  Joseph  E.  Johnston  was 
lieutenant-colonel.  He  was  regimental  adjutant  from  June  15th 
to  August  26,  1847  (at  Contreras  and  Cherubusco),  and  led  a  com- 
pany at  Molino  del  Rev  and  Chapultepec,  where  he  was  mentioned 
as  distinguished.  After  the  War,  he  went  across  the  plains  to 
California,  where  he  remained  till  1856.  Going  then  to  Nicaragua, 
he  joined  Walker's  Expedition  as  colonel  and  general.  He  com- 
manded at  Granada,  and  defeated  the  Army  of  Guatemala.  After 
the  failure  of  that  expedition,  he  returned  to  San  Francisco,  and 
remained  there  till  1859,  when  he  went  to  Alabama  and  engaged  in 
cotton  manufacturing  till  the  opening  of  the  Civil  War. 

On  July  10,  1861,  he  was  commissioned  colonel  of  the  Thirteenth 
Alabama  Infantry.  At  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines  he  was  wounded. 
After  an  absence  of  six  weeks  only,  he  returned  to  his  regiment,  and 
remained  with  it  till  his  arm  was  shattered  at  Sharpsburg.  The 
surgeon  decided  to  amputate  the  arm.  "What  are  the  chances  of 
my  living  without  an  operation.''"  he  inquired.  "One  in  three 
hundred,"  was  the  answer.  "Then  I  will  take  it,"  he  replied.  He 
rejoined  his  command  in  time  for  Chancellorsville,  where  he  led  his 
brigade  (Archer's)  on  the  second  day.  Here  he  was  again 
wounded,  but  did  not  leave  his  regiment,  commanding  it  (or  the 
brigade)  till  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  After  the  capture  of  General 
Archer,  on  the  first  day  at  Gettysburg,  he  took  command  of  the 
brigade,  and  led  it  in  the  second  famous  assault.  On  July  3d,  his 
brigade  was  on  the  right  of  the  division  under  Pettigrew,  and  was 
the  brigade  of  direction  for  the  whole  force,  being  immediately  on 
the  left  of  Pickett's  Division ;  he  led  it  gallantly  up  Cemetery 
Ridge,  under  a  fire  which  melted  away  his  life,  until  he  reached 
the  stone  wall,  where  he  fell,  shot  through  the  shoulder  and  tlie 
thigh,  and  again  became  a  prisoner  of  war. 

By  a  special  exchange,  he  returned  to  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia,  in  March,  1864,  and  was  ordered  to  take  command  of 
Barton's  Brigade,  at.  Drewry's  Bluff,  and  led  it  in  the  battle  in 
which  Beauregard  drove  back  Butler's  Army.  He  was  then  placed 
in  command  of  Archer's  and  Walker's  Brigades ;  and  this  force, 
with  some  other  troops,  he  led  in  the  second  battle  of  Cold  Harbor, 
holding  the  left  of  the  Confederate  lines.  On  May  24,  1864,  he 
had  been  promoted  brigadier-general,  and  in  a  few  days  after  the 
battle  of  Cold  Harbor,  he  was  ordered  to  Augusta,  Georgia,  to 
command  the  District  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia.  This  com- 
mand he  held  till  the  close  of  the  war. 

After  the  war,  he  went  to  Cuba,  but  in  1868  returned  to  Ala- 
bama and  resumed  his  old  business  of  cotton  manufacturinar.  in 
which  he  continued  till  1876,  when  he  removed  to  Florida.  After 
a  while,  he  returned  to  Alabama,  and  resided  in  Montgomery  where 
his  wife  died.  This  estimable  lady  was  formerly  Martha  A.  Micou, 
born  in   Augusta,  Georgia.      In    1861,   General   Fry  went  to   Rich- 


520  The  Military  History  of 

mond,  Virginia,  and  engaged  in  cotton  manufacturing,  and  was 
president  of  the  Marshall  Manufacturing  Company  of  that  City 
until  his  death,  February  5,  1891.* 

Second  Lieutenant  Richard  Carlton  Walker  Radford,  of 
Bedford  County,  Virginia.  He  matriculated  in  July,  1810,  and 
resigned  July,  IS^l,  to  enter  West  Point,  where  he  was  graduated, 
July  1,  18  15.  He  was  assigned  to  the  First  Dragoons  as  brevet 
second  lieutenant,  and  was  transferred  to  the  Second  Dragoons, 
May  18,  1846,  as  second  lieutenant;  transferred  to  First  Dragoons, 
July  9,  1846. 

He  served  throughout  the  War  with  Mexico.  On  October  24, 
1848  (after  peace  was  ratified),  he  was  promoted  first  lieutenant; 
on  July  9,  1855,  he  was  promoted  captain  of  Dragoons.  Resigned, 
November  30,  1856,  having  served  with  gallantry  in  the  Indian 
Wars  from   1848  to   1856. 

When  the  Confederate  War  began,  he  promptly  offered  his 
services  to  his  State,  and  was  commissioned  colonel  of  the  Second 
Virginia  Cavalry, — the  first  mounted  regiment  raised  and  organized 
in  the  Virginia  Volunteers,  and  served  as  such  until  after  the  bat- 
tle of  First  Manassas  for  gallantry  in  which  he  was  personally  men- 
tioned by  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston.  Colonel  Radford  belonged 
to  Beauregard's  Army,  and  had  command  of  all  of  his  cavalry, 
twice  as  many  as  General  Johnston  brought  from  the  Valley;  and, 
yet,  Johnston  promoted  Stuart  over  Radford  whom  the  latter 
ranked,  as  Stuart  was  only  a  lieutenant-colonel,  and  had  been  only 
a  lieutenant  in  the  old  Army,  while  Radford  had  been  captain  of 
Dragoons.  Radford  was  naturally  displeased  at  such  treatment. 
General  John  B.  Floyd  offered  him  the  command  of  his  cavalry 
which  he  was  forming  into  a  brigade  (and  which  was  afterwards 
given  to  Jenkins).  Radford  did  fine  work  for  Floyd.  But  General 
Lee  told  the  Secretary  of  War  that  if  Floyd  were  allowed  to  form 
a  local  command  (as  had  been  offered  him),  he  would  draw  to 
himself  all  of  the  West  and  Southwest  Virginia  troops ;  and,  as 
it  was  regarded  as  Virginia's  pledge  that  she  would  give  all  of  her 
troops  to  the  Confederacy,  Floyd's  volunteers  were  disbanded,  and 
Radford  retired,  liaving  passed  the  age  of  conscription. 

"He  was  a  born  soldier"  (General  Munford  has  said),  "a  superb 
horseman,  and  the  best  disciplinarian  I  ever  saw  in  camp,  and  a 
fine  outpost  officer.  The  impress  of  his  martial  hand  clung  to  my 
old  regiment,  and  made  it  second  (except  in  name)  to  no  regiment 
in  the  Confederate  Army.  It  had  in  it  twenty-one  V.  M.  I.  officers, 
and  Colonel  Radford  had  handled  it  in  a  masterly  manner  while  in 
command." 

Colonel  Radford  was  mucli  hurt  by  the  unjust  treatment  he  had 
received.     He  retired  to  his  farm,  "Rothsay,"  in  Bedford  County, 

.,.,.*This  sketch  of  General  Fry  is  substantially  taken  from  "Confederate 
Military    History,      Vol.    VII,    1899. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  521 

Virginia,  after  leaving  the  Army  in  1862,  where  he  resided  till  his 
death,  November  4,  1886. 

Colonel  Radford  was  a  son  of  William  Radford,  of  Richmond, 
Virginia,  and  Elizabeth  Moseley,  of  Bedford  County,  Virginia.  He 
was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Octavia  Duval,  and  his 
second,  Fannie  Steptoe.  Four  children  survive,  Mrs.  R.  H. 
Claiborne,  of  Hampton,  Virginia,  and  Messrs.  Duval,  Walker, 
and  Locksley  Radford,  of  Forest,  Virginia. 

Second  Lieutenant  Andrew  Jackson,  of  Petersburg,  Virginia, 
was  matriculated  in  1844,  and  remained  at  the  Institute  till  ap- 
pointed second  lieutenant,  3d  Infantry,  U.  S.  Army,  December  30, 
1847.  He  served  in  the  Mexican  War.  On  March  3,  1855,  he 
was  promoted  first  lieutenant,  and  served  as  such  till  June  6,  1861, 
when  he  resigned  to  enter  the  Confederate  Army  in  which  he  rose 
to  be  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  5th  South  Carolina  Infantry. 

His  parents  were  John  Jackson  and  Anne  Aldridge.  Colonel 
Jackson  never  married,  and  died  in  Petersburg,  Virginia,  July  31, 
1870. 

Second  Lieutenant  Isaac  Williams  Smith,  of  Fairfax  County, 
Virginia.  Graduated  1847.  His  father  was  the  Rev.  George 
Archibald  Smith,  the  first  graduate  of  the  Episcopal  Theological 
Seminary  of  Virginia.  His  mother  was  Ophelia  Williams.  Rev. 
Mr.  Smith's  health  failing,  he  was  compelled  to  give  up  the  active 
ministry,  and  he  founded  a  famous  Boys'  School  at  his  home  in 
Fairfax  County,  known  as  Clarens  Institute.  From  this  school 
went  many  boys  who  subsequently  became  prominent  men.  Later, 
he  became  the  editor  of  the  Southern  Churchman,  then  and  now, 
the  organ  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  in  the  Diocese  of  Virginia. 

Isaac  Smith's  paternal  grandparents,  Hugh  Smith  and  Eliza- 
beth Watson,  came  to  Virginia  from  Knutsford,  England,  and 
Armagh,  Ireland,  respectively.  His  maternal  grandparents  were 
Isaac  Hite  Williams,  of  Fredericksburg,  and  I-ucy  Coleman 
Slaughter,  of  Culpeper  County,  Virginia,  the  latter  a  daughter 
of  Captain  Philip  Slaughter,  an  officer  of  the  Revolution.  These 
grandparents  came  to  Alexandria,  Virginia,  during  the  closing 
years  of  the  18th  century. 

After  graduating  at  the  Institute,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
appointed  second  lieutenant  in  company  K,  of  the  U.  S.  Voltigeurs, 
April  9,  1847,  and  served,  in  the  detachment  under  Major  Lally, 
in  the  war  with  Mexico,  during  one  campaign,  and  was  then  detailed 
for  recruiting  service  at  Baltimore.  August  31,  1848,  he  was 
honorably  mustered  out  of  the  military  service. 

"In  1849-'50,  he  was  assistant  engineer  and  astronomer  on  the 
survey  of  the  parallel  between  the  Creek  and  Cherokee  Indians, 
under  Lieutenants  Sitgreaves  and  Woodruff,  U.  S.  A.  In  1851,  he 
was  assistant  astronomer,  and  first  assistant,  on  the  survey  of  the 


522  The  Military  History  of 

parallel  between  Iowa  and  Minnesota.  In  1852,  he  was  resident 
engineer  on  the  survey  and  construction  of  the  Orange  and  Alex- 
andria Railroad.  Virginia.  In  1853-'54^  he  was  assistant  engineer 
on  the  Pacific  Railroad  surveys  and  explorations,  under  Lieutenants 
Livingston  and  Parker,  of  the  U.  S.  Corps  of  Engineers.  He  then 
went  to  Washington  Territory,  and  became  engineer  and  special 
agent  for  the  construction  of  lighthouses  on  the  Straits  of  Tuca 
and  Shoalwater  Bay,  under  Major  Hartman  Bache,  Corps 
Engineers,  U.  S.  A.  This  work  was  accomplished  under  consider- 
able difficulty  and  peril. 

"In  the  Indian  uprising  of  1856-56,  he  served  as  aide-de-camp 
on  the  staff  of  Captain  I.  I.  Stevens,  then  Governor  of  the  Terri- 
torj',  and  saw  much  active  service.  After  this,  he  was  engaged 
for  a  year  or  more  under  his  life-long  friend  and  fellow-veteran 
of  the  Mexican  War,  Major  James  Tilton,  as  deputy  surveyor,  and 
surveyed  several  of  the  meridian  and  standard  parallel  lines  then 
being  established  through  the  trackless  and  all  but  impassable 
forests  of  Western  Washington.  He  was  then  appointed  Register 
of  the  United  States  Land  Office  for  the  Olympia  District,  which 
included  the  vast  Territory  of  Washington. 

"In  1862,  he  joined  in  the  rush  to  the  newly-discovered  places  in 
Cariboo,  B.  C,  where  he  remained  only  a  short  time.  On  his  re- 
turn from  the  mines,  he  went  to  his  native  state,  and  tendered  his 
services  to  the  Confederate  Government.  Receiving  tlie  appoint- 
ment of  captain  of  engineers  (later  being  brevetted  colonel),  he  was 
continuously  employed  until  the  close  of  the  War  upon  the  defenses 
before  Petersburg  and  Riclimond.  After  the  War,  he  returned  home, 
the  possessor  solely  (as  described  in  his  own  words)  'of  an  old 
gray  uniform — much  tattered  and  worn,  a  good  horse,  and  a  large 
amount  of  experience.'  He  soon  received  the  appointment  of  divi- 
sion engineer  on  the  Imperial  Mexican  Railroad  from  Vera  Cruz  to 
Mexico  (under  Andrew  Talcott,  Chief  Engineer),  and  was  placed 
in  charge  of  the  line  from  Paso  del  Macho  to  Ougaba.  He  remained 
in  Mexico  during  the  years  1867  and  1868,  engaged  upon  this 
work,  and  as  chief  engineer  and  inspector  of  drainage  and  hydraulic 
work,  near  Tepic.  In  1869,  he  was  engineer  of  construction  on 
the  Western  Pacific  Railroad  (later  merged  in  the  Central  Pacific). 

"In  1870,  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  surveys  along  the  Columbia 
and  Cowlitz  Rivers,  in  Washington  Territory,  for  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railroad.  After  a  short  time,  he  was  given  the  construction 
of  the  locks  and  a  canal  around  the  falls  of  the  Willamette  River, 
near  Portland,  Oregon, — a  work  of  great  magnitude  and  import- 
ance. The  contractors,  after  a  year,  failing  to  show  satisfactory 
results,  the  work  was  carried  forward  by  Colonel  Smith  alone,  with 
great  rapidity.  A  large  State  subsidy  depended  on  the  work 
being  completed  in  time.  The  Colonel  accomplished  the  desired 
end,  and  not  only   secured  for  the   company  the   desired   subsidy. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  523 

but  turned  over  a  work  which,  for  excellence  of  design  and 
thoroughness  of  execution,  marked  him  as  an  engineer  of  notable 
skill  and  ability. 

"In  1873,  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  called  him  again  into 
its  service,  and  placed  him  in  charge  of  the  survey  of  the  new 
terminal  at  Tacoma.  In  February,  1875,  he  visited  Peru,  but  find- 
ing the  country  again  in  the  throes  of  civil  war,  and  all  railway 
construction  stopped,  he  returned  at  once  to  California,  and  made 
surveys  in  Arizona  for  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad.  A  year  later, 
in  association  with  Colonel  George  H.  Mendall,  of  the  Corps  of 
Engineers,  U.  S.  A.,  he  made  an  exhaustive  study  of,  and  report 
upon,  the  water  supply  for  the  City  of  San  P'rancisco.  As  Colonel 
Mendall's  chief  assistant,  he  had  charge  of  the  extensive  surveys, 
including  all  the  available  sources  of  supply. 

"From  April  1876  to  April  1878,  Colonel  Smith  was  one  of  the 
Board  of  Railroad  Commissioners  for  the  State  of  California,  the 
other  Commissioners  being  John  T.  Doyle,  Esq.,  and  General 
George  Stoneman.  In  May,  1878,  he  was  appointed  chief  engineer 
of  the  Sacramento  River  Drainage  District  Commission.  The  proj- 
ect under  consideration  for  a  drainage  canal  was  shown  to  be 
impracticable,  and  was  abandoned.  From  this  time  till  the  spring 
of  1880,  Colonel  Smith  was  chief  engineer  for  the  Board  of  State 
Harbor  Commissioners  of  California,  in  which  capacity  he  de- 
signed the  sea-wall  for  the  water  front  of  San  Francisco,  and  con- 
structed upwards  of  a  mile  of  it.  In  April,  1880,  he  was  placed 
by  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  in  full  charge  of  the  Cascade 
Mountain  surveys.  The  route  finally  adopted  was  surveyed  and 
mapped  under  his  direction. 

"In  September,  1881,  he  was  appointed  chief  engineer  of  the 
Oregon  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  then  constructing  a  line  east- 
ward from  Yaquima  Bay,  Oregon.  He  remained  with  this  com- 
pany two  years,  completing  the  line  as  far  as  Corvallis  (about  60 
miles),  and  then  resigned,  and  returned  to  Tacoma,  Washington, 
where  he  made  a  report  of  the  water  supply  of  that  City.  During 
the  years  1883  to  1885,  he  was  chief  engineer  for  the  Tacoma 
Light  and  Water  Company,  designing  and  constructing  the  gas 
and  water  plants  for  that  City,  at  an  expense  of  nearly  half  a 
million  dollars,  and  superintending  the  works  for  some  months 
after  completion. 

"Early  in  1886,  he  was  called  to  the  work  of  determining  the 
future  water  supply  of  the  City  of  Portland,  Oregon.  The  cost  of 
the  proposed  scheme  being  too  great  for  the  financial  ability  of 
the  City  at  that  time,  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  existing 
system,  as  engineer  and  superintendent,  and  continued  to  hold  this 
position  until  his  death.  His  plans  for  the  new  system  were 
carried  out  before  Colonel  Smith's  death,  at  an  outlay  of  nearly 
three  million  dollars.     This,  his   magnum  opus,  was  the  last  of  a 


524  The  Military  History  of 

long  series  of  beneficent  works  he  had  constructed  for  the  comfort, 
health,  and  safety  of  mankind;  and  he  was  happily  permitted  to 
live  to  see  it  completed,  and  in  successful  operation,  two  years 
before  his  death. 

"For  several  years  his  leisure  moments  were  spent  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  a  treatise  on  the  'Theory  of  Deflection  and  of  Latitudes 
and  Departures,  with  Special  Application  of  Curvilinear  Surveys 
and  Alignments  of  Railway  Tracks,'  which  he  published;  and, 
only  a  few  months  before  his  death,  he  prepared  a  paper  on  the 
'Plow  of  Water  in  Wrought  and  Cast  Iron  Pipes  from  28  to  42 
Inches,  Diameter,'  for  publication  in  the  Transactions  of  this 
Society.  He  became  a  member  of  the  American  Society  of  Civil 
Engineers  on  October   1,   1873. 

"Colonel  Smith's  reputation  as  an  engineer  of  ability  and  integ- 
rity became  established  early,  and  his  services  were  continually 
in  demand." 

The  above  sketch  of  this  peerless  Old  Cadet  of  the  V.  M.  I. 
is  abridged  from  a  memoir  of  Colonel  Smith,  by  Messrs.  D.  D. 
Clarke,  M.  Am.  Soc.  C.  E.,  Edward  Tilton,  C.  E.,  and  Robert  P. 
Maynard,  C.  E.,  which  appears  in  the  Transactions  of  the  American 
Society  of  Civil  Engineers.  It  is  a  subject  of  keen  regret  that 
we  can  not  reproduce  the  memoir  in  its  entirety.  One  who  was 
intimately  associated  with  Colonel  Smith  at  various  times,  thus 
speaks  of  him  (we  can  quote  only  a  portion  of  his  beautiful 
tribute)  :  "  .  .  .  I  can  truly  say  that  there  was  nothing  in  my 
whole  acquaintance  with  him  but  that  tended  to  increase  my  ad- 
miration and  respect  for  the  man.  He  was  one  of  the  few 
engineers  whom  I  have  been  associated  with  who  combined  a 
thorough  theoretical  knowledge  of  mathematical  principles  with  a 
practical  grasp  of  the  best  methods  for  the  solution  of  the  various 
problems  that  were  being  constantly  presented  to  him,  in  the  con- 
duct of  his  work. 


"There  is  one  trait  which  characterized  the  Colonel  to  a  marked 
degree,  and  that  is  his  absolute  integrity  and  incorruptibility ; — 
another  trait  of  his  character  was  his  thorough  unselfishness.  He 
was  not  only  a  devoted  son  and  brother ;  but,  in  his  intercourse 
with  the  men  in  his  employ,  he  was  always  thinking  of  their  com- 
fort and  welfare,  rather  than  his  own.  Certainly,  in  all  my  experi- 
ence, I  do  not  know  of  another  man  who  could  equal  the  Colonel 
in  his  rare  combination  of  strength  and  purity  and  gentleness  of 
character.  ...  I  shall  always  feel  that  it  has  been  one  of 
the  privileges  of  my  life  to  have  known  as  intimately  as  I  did  a 
man  of  the  character  of  Colonel  Smith." 

Colonel  Smith  never  married.  His  parents  were  his  first  care, 
and  were  always  lovingly  considered,  as  were  his  sisters  later,  and 


The  Vieginia  Military  Institute  525 

as  long  as  he  lived.  Two  distinguished  younger  brothers  of  Colonel 
Smith  are  also  graduates  of  the  V.  M.  I. — Judge  George  H.  Smith 
(Colonel  of  the  62d  Virginia  Infantry,  C.  S.  A.)  and  the  Hon. 
Francis  L.  Smith — both,  happily,  still  living. 

Second  Lieutenant  James  Edwin  Slaughter,  of  Culpeper 
County,  Virginia,  was  born  near  the  centre  of  the  late  battlefield 
of  Cedar  Run,  and  at  the  foot  of  Slaughter's  (Cedar)  Mountain. 
He  was  a  son  of  Major  Daniel  F.  Slaughter  (and  grandson  of 
Captain  Philip  Slaughter,  of  the  Revolution),  and  his  wife,  Letitia 
Madison,  daughter  of  General  William  Madison,  a  brother  of  the 
President. 

He  was  admitted  as  a  Pay  Cadet  to  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute,  August  6,  1845,  in  his  18th  year.  When  the  Mexican 
War  broke  out,  he  resigned  his  cadetship,  and  applied  for  a  com- 
mission in  the  Army.  He  was  appointed  (March  5,  18t7)  second 
lieutenant,  Infantry,  and,  on  April  9,  1847,  was  transferred  to  the 
Voltigeurs. 

He  served  in  General  Scott's  command,  and  was  in  the  battles 
which  took  place  in  and  near  the  City  of  Mexico,  which  resulted 
in  the  capture  of  that  City.  He  continued  in  the  Army  (being  pro- 
moted first  lieutenant.  First  Artillery,  August  3,  18.52)  till  the 
Civil  War  broke  out.  Resigning  then,  and  returning  to  the  South. 
he  was  appointed  colonel,  and  rendered  important  service  in  South 
Carolina.  Alabama,  and  Florida. 

He  took  an  active  part  in  the  defense  of  Mobile  against  the 
attack  of  Admiral  Farragut.  After  this,  he  was  promoted  brig- 
adier-general, and  as  such  served  in  Alabama,  Mississippi,  and 
Louisiana.  Later,  he  was  put  in  command  of  the  troops  on  the 
Rio  Grande  River,  in  Texas.  While  thus  serving,  the  surrender 
of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  took  place.  General  Slaughter 
fired  tlie  last  shots  of  the  Confederacy;  then  crossed  into  Mexico; 
and  never  surrendered. 

He  lived  in  Mexico  for  several  years,  and  then  returned  to  his 
native  country,  and  made  his  home  in  Mobile,  Alabama.  He 
adopted  the  profession  of  civil  engineering,  and  did  harbor  and 
other  work  for  the  United  States  Government.  He  was  also  post- 
master at  Mobile  for  some  years.  He  later  removed  to  New 
Orleans,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  January  1,  1901.  He  never 
married. 

Surgeon  Charles  Peter  Deyerle,  of  Roanoke  County,  Vir- 
ginia. He  was  as  a  boy  ambitious  for  military  training;  and,  there- 
fore, when  the  Institute  first  opened  its  doors,  he  became  a  member 
of  the  Corps  that  relieved  the  State  Guard  at  the  old  Arsenal  in 
Lexington. 

He  was  graduated  in  1842.  Becoming  a  physician,  with  a  di- 
ploma from  the  famous  Jefferson  Medical  College  of  Philadelphia, 


526  The  Military  History  of 

in  1846,  he  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  his  home.  Soon, 
liowever,  he  saw  the  war  cloud  lowering  over  Mexico,  and  ap- 
plied for  and  received  the  position  of  assistant  surgeon  in  the 
Army ;  and  was  ordered  immediately  to  report  at  Tampico,  Mexico, 
for  service  in  the  field.  He  joined  a  detachment  of  the  Sixth 
Infantry  at  New  Orleans,  embarking  for  Vera  Cruz,  in  answer  to 
the  call  of  General  Scott  to  report  at  that  place.  He  left  with 
this  detachment  on  the  9th  of  April,  1846,  and,  upon  reaching 
Mexico,  was  assigned  to  the  Second  Infantry,  in  General  Worth's 
First  Division,  and  served  with  it  through  the  campaign,  on  Gen- 
eral Worth's  staff,  witnessing  many  of  the  battles  in  which  Worth's 
Division  was  engaged.  While  not  in  the  line,  he  was  yet  often 
exposed  to  danger,  and  was  handsomely  complimented  for  his 
gallant  conduct  on  the  field. 

He  entered  the  City  of  Mexico  with  the  Army  of  General  Scott, 
and  remained  in  Mexico  until  peace  was  ratified.  General  Worth's 
command  was  the  last  of  the  troops  to  leave  the  City,  on  June  13, 
1848.  On  reaching  Fort  Hamilton,  New  York,  in  August,  1848, 
Surgeon  Deyerle  was  ordered  to  be  in  readiness,  in  limited  time, 
to  sail  for  California,  as  Medical  Director. 

Remaining  only  ten  days  at  his  home,  he  sailed  from  New  York 
with  the  6th  Infantry;  but,  owing  to  detention  at  Old  Point  Com- 
fort, on  account  of  sickness  aboard,  the  Marie  Adelina  did  not 
get  away  from  that  port  until  December  28,  1848.  The  vessel 
went  around  South  America,  touching  at  Rio  de  Janeiro  and  Valpa- 
raiso, having  a  long,  rough  voyage,  reaching  California  July  5, 
1849. 

He  was  stationed  for  several  years  at  Benicia  Barracks,  when 
that  section  of  the  country  was  wild  and  in  an  unsettled  condition ; 
and  he  was  much  exposed  in  the  many  expeditions  after  the  Indians 
and  the  other  marauding  parties  then  infesting  that  (then)  far- 
away land.  Cut  off  from  home,  country  and  his  old  army  friends, 
he  experienced  a  hard  life  and  many  privations,  and  his  health 
suffered  in  consequence.  He  continued  to  decline,  and  the  change 
to  a  military  post,  two  hundred  miles  up  the  coast,  still  further  de- 
pleted his  failing  health.  By  request,  he  returned  to  Benicia  where, 
after  a  few  days,  he  died  on  the  30th  of  October,  1853,  and  was 
buried  at  that  place.  His  remains  were  subsequently  removed  to 
Virginia  and  placed  in  the  family  lot  in  the  beautiful  cemetery  at 
Salem. 

He  was  a  noble  man,  and  sleeps  well  after  his  brief  but  faithful 
service  to  his  country. 

His  gallant  vounger  brother,  Captain  M.  P.  Deyerle,  also  an 
old  "V.  M.  I.  Boy,"  was  killed  in  the  C.  S.  A. 

Captain  Edwakd  Codrington  Carrington,  of  Botetourt  County, 
Virginia.     His  father  was  General  Edward  C.  Carrington,  of  Hali- 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  527 

fax  County,  Virginia,  to  whom  his  State  presented  a  sword  for 
gallantry  in  the  War  of  1812.  His  great-grandfather  was  Judge 
Paul  Carrington,  Jr.,  a  son  of  Judge  Paul  Carrington  of  the  first 
Court  of  Appeals,  of  Virginia.  His  mother  was  Eliza  Henry 
Preston,  daughter  of  General  Francis  Preston,  of  Abingdon,  Vir- 
ginia; and  his  maternal  grandmother  was  Sallie  Campbell,  daughter 
of  General  William  Campbell,  of  King's  Mountain  fame,  and  his 
wife,  Bettie  Henry,  sister  of  Patrick  Henry. 

Carrington  entered  the  Institute  in  July,  ISil,  and  resigned 
July  6,  1813.  When  scarcely  twenty-one  years  of  age,  he  was 
elected  captain  of  Company  A,  First  Virginia  Regiment  which 
served  in  the  Mexican  War  with  great  credit.  On  his  return  from 
the  war,  the  Virginia  Legislature  presented  him  a  sword  for 
services  in  Mexico.  He  became  editor  of  the  Valley  WJiig,  in  Fin- 
castle,  Virginia.  He  was  sent  to  the  Legislature,  and  was  probably 
the  only  Whig  elected  from  Botetourt  County  in  forty  years.  When 
twenty-eight  years  old,  he  removed  to  Washington  City,  and  began 
the  practice  of  law.  He  was  one  of  the  revisers  of  the  District 
Code,  and  soon  won  a  national  reputation  from  being  engaged  in 
many  important  cases. 

He  was  made  captain  of  the  Washington  Light  Infantry,  one 
of  the  most  celebrated  organizations  in  the  country.  He  was  later 
made  brigadier-general  of  the  District  Militia ;  and,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  War  between  the  States,  he  declared  himself 
for  the  Union.  He  came  to  Virginia,  and  made  many  speeches, 
while  the  Virginia  Convention  was  in  session.  He  declared  if  his 
State  would  remain  in  the  Union,  he  would  share  her  fate,  but  in  no 
event  would  he  consent  to  the  destruction  of  the  Union.  General 
Scott  and  Attorney-General  Bates  recommended  him  for  the  po- 
sition of  United  States  District  Attorney  for  the  District  of 
Columbia.  President  Lincoln  promptly  issued  his  commission,  and 
he  held  the  position  for  nearly  ten  years,  under  I^incoln,  Johnson, 
and  Grant. 

He  died,  as  he  had  lived,  an  earnest  Christian,  in  the  year 
1892.  [It  is  interesting  to  note  that  two  brothers  of  General 
Carrington  served  gallantly  in  the  Confederate  Army,  namely, 
the  superb  Major  James  McDowell  Carrington  (V.  M.  I.),  of  the 
Artillery  Corps  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  and  the  noble 
Captain  William  Campbell  Preston  Carrington,  of  Company  A, 
First  Missouri  Infantry,  who  was  killed  in  battle  at  Baker's  Creek, 
Mississippi,  having  previously  been  wounded  twice.] 

First  Lieutenant  George  Alexander  Porterfield,  of  Berkeley 
County,  Virginia  (W.  Va.).  Graduate,  V.  M.  I.,  Class  1844.  Elected 
first  lieutenant  of  Company  A,  First  Virginia  Infantry  (Colonel 
Hamtramck,  commanding).  Appointed  adjutant  at  Buena  Vista, 
July    10,    1847.      Colonel    Hamtramck    succeeded    General    Caleb 


528  The  Military  History  or 

Gushing,  commanding  the  brigade.  Lieutenant  Porterfield  was  ap- 
pointed acting  assistant  adjutant-general  of  the  brigade,  composed 
of  the  1st  Virginia,  2d  Mississippi,  and  the  North  Carolina  Regi- 
ments. 

October  27,  1847,  General  Wool  succeeded  General  Taylor  in 
command  of  the  Armj^  of  Occupation,  and  removed  his  headquarters 
to  Monterey.  General  Taylor  returned  to  tlie  States  on  leave. 
Colonel  Hamtramck  succeeded  General  Wool  in  command  of  the 
division  stationed  at,  or  near,  Buena  Vista,  and  Porterfield  re- 
lieved Captain  (afterwards  Major-General)  Irvin  McDowell  of 
his  duties  as  assistant  adjutant-general  of  the  division,  and  re- 
mained in  that  position  until  the  end  of  the  war.  He  was  com- 
plimented very  highly  by  General  Wool,  who  offered  him  a 
permanent  place  on  his  staff,  when  the  treaty  of  peace  was  signed; 
but  he  declined  the  offer,  and  sailed  for  home,  reaching  there 
July  17,  18-18. 

For  a  few  years,  he  was  editor  of  the  Martinsburg  Gazette,  and 
then  filled  a  government  position  in  Washington  for  several  years ; 
but  in  1855  he  returned  to  his  farm,  and  was  there  when  the  Con- 
federate War  broke  out.  He  at  once  offered  his  services  to  his 
State,  and  was  appointed  colonel  of  volunteers,  in  May,  1861,  and 
raised  a  command  in  Northwestern  Virginia  of  nearly  one  thousand 
men.  He  was  then  put  in  command  of  the  25th  Virginia  Infantry. 
He  afterwards  served  on  Major-General  Loring's  staff,  and,  later, 
in  command  of  a  brigade  composed  of  the  12th  Georgia,  the  remnant 
of  the  25th  Virginia  (about  one-half  of  this  regiment  had  been 
surrendered  by  General  Pegram),  Hansbrough's  Battalion,  and  a 
battery  of  artillery,  until  the  reorganization  of  the  Army,  in  May, 
1862,  when  he  was  left  out  of  the  service  by  an  illegal  election  in 
the  remnant  of  the  25th  Regiment.  He  was  recommended  to  the 
Secretary  of  War  by  Major-General  Edward  Johnston  for  pro- 
motion to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general,  but  was  not  appointed.  Be- 
lieving he  had  been  unjustly  treated,  he  left  the  service.  He  was 
arrested  by  General  Banks,  of  the  Federal  Army,  in  July  1862,  but 
was  soon  paroled,  and  did  not  return  to  the  Army. 

After  the  War,  he  entered  the  banking  business.  He  is  still 
living  (1914)  in  Charles  Town,  West  Virginia,  one  of  the  oldest 
Alumni  of  the  Institute,  and  is  one  of  the  half  a  dozen  surviving 
members  of  the  famous  Aztec  Club  composed  of  veteran  officers 
who  served  in  the  Mexican  War,  one  of  the  last  of  whom  to  die 
having  been  I.ieutenant-General  Simon  Bolivar  Buckner,  C.  S.  A. 

William  Arthur  Scott,  of  Dinwiddie  County,  Virginia,  was 
matriculated  in  the  summer  of  1843,  and  spent  two  years  at  the 
Institute,  going  thence  to  the  College  of  William  and  Mary  where 
he  remained  one  year,  and  then  left  to  go  as  a  volunteer  to  the  War. 
He  was  elected  first  lieutenant  of  the  Amelia  Company,  which  was 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  529 

attached  to  the  First  Virginia  Infantry.  He  served  gallantly  till 
the  War  ended. 

About  this  time  the  rush  to  California  began,  and  on  March 
3,  1849,  he  sailed  for  the  newly-discovered  gold  field,  from 
Hampton  Roads.  He  died  in  California  a  short  while  after  ar- 
riving there. 

His  grandfather,  James  Scott  (a  brother  of  General  Winfield 
Scott),  served  in  the  War  of  1812,  as  a  captain  in  the  Virginia 
forces;  and  his  father  had  served  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution. 

James  Lawrenson  Bryan,  of  Petersburg,  Virginia,  was 
graduated  in  the  Class  of  1843.  He  was  born  in  Cambridge,  Mary- 
land, August  25,  1824-,  but  was  carried  by  his  father  to  Norfolk. 
Virginia,  and  thence  to  Petersburg,  while  still  a  small  boy,  and  was 
entered  at  the  Institute  from  the  latter  place,  in  the  summer  of 
1840. 

He  established  the  Petersburg  Military  Academy,  soon  after 
leaving  the  Institute ;  and  assisted  in  organizing  in  that  City  a 
military  company.  When  war  with  Mexico  was  declared,  his  old 
company  volunteered,  and  was  attached  to  the  First  Virginia 
Infantry,  and  he  went  with  that  regiment  to  Mexico  as  first  lieu- 
tenant of  the  Petersburg  company,  and  served  with  gallantry  to 
the  end  of  the  war.  After  he  returned  home,  he  studied  medicine, 
and  settled  first  at  Taylor's  Island,  Maryland,  to  practise  his  pro- 
fession. 

In  1866,  he  removed  to  his  old  home  at  Cambridge,  where  he 
lived  the  rest  of  his  long  life.  After  some  years,  he  entered  the 
Ministry  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  combined  the 
duties  of  a  clergyman  with  those  of  a  practising  physician;  but  he 
performed  his  onerous  clerical  duties  without  accepting  any  com- 
pensation. 

Soon  after  going  to  Cambridge,  he  founded  a  military  academy 
there.  But  before  a  great  while  both  his  school  and  himself  were 
absorbed  in  the  Public  School  System.  He  retained  through  all 
political  changes,  until  1898,  when  his  health  became  shattered, 
his  position  of  School  Examiner  for  his  county.  He  took  great 
interest  in  the  development  of  the  agricultural  resources  of  his 
State;  and,  in  1886,  was  elected  President  of  the  Maryland  Agri- 
cultural College,  but  declined  the  position.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  State  Board  of  Education  until  ill-health  caused  him  to  re- 
sign. Many  of  his  wise  suggestions  were  embodied  into  laws  en- 
acted by  the  Legislature  for  the  better  conduct  of  the  schools  of 
the  State.  He  was  everywhere  regarded  as  one  of  the  first 
educators  of  his  State. 

Dr.  Bryan  always  stood  for  the  moral  uplift  of  the  community, 
in  every  way.  He  was  a  fearless  man,  and  never  shrank  from  the 
performace    of    any    public    or    private    duty,    however    ardxious    or 


.34 


.)30  The  Military  History  of 


dangerous.  His  course  throughout  the  Civil  War,  and  during  the 
period  of  Reconstruction,  when  he  was  never  afraid  to  stand  up 
for  the  principles  in  wliich  he  believed,  was  evidence  of  this.  He 
was  an  ardent  Democrat  and  Southerner,  but  voted  for  President 
McKinley,  as  he  believed  in  the  single  gold  standard. 

He  was  second  to  no  one  in  devotion  to  his  Alma  Mater — the 
V.  M.  I.  In  1889,  he  attended  her  Semi-Centennial  Celebration; 
and,  to  his  dying  day,  talked  of  the  pleasure  and  happiness  he 
enjoyed  on  that  momentous  occasion  in  mingling  again  with  some 
of  the  beloved  comrades  of  his  happy  young  manhood  when  he  wore 
the  old  Cadet  coatee. 

He  spent  his  whole  life  doing  good;  and,  when  he  went  from 
us  "to  put  on  immortality,"  he  left  upon  all  whom  his  beautiful 
life  had  touched  the  impress  of  his  high  character  and  holy  life. 

Death  came  to  him  on  November  6,  1904. 

Thomas  Stuart  Garnett,  M.  D.,  of  Westmoreland  County, 
Virginia,  matriculated  in  1840.  After  remaining  several  years  at 
the  Institute,  he  went  to  the  University  of  Virginia  for  the 
purpose  of  studying  medicine  which  he  had  selected  as  his  pro- 
fession in  life;  and  such  was  the  thoroughness  of  his  training,  and 
the  extent  of  his  attainments,  that  he  remained  at  the  University 
only  one  year,  and  was  admitted  to  the  honor  of  graduation  in 
1845. 

He  settled  in  Caroline  County,  Virginia,  and  remained  there 
until  the  early  part  of  the  year  1846,  when,  responding  to  the  call 
of  patriotic  duty,  and  to  the  soldierly  impulse  which  had  been 
trained  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  he  joined  as  first  lieu- 
tenant a  company  of  volunteers  raised  by  Captain  Smith  P.  Bank- 
head,  which  was  incorporated  in  the  First  Virginia  Regiment 
(Infantry)  which  served  through  the  Mexican  War.  Ueutenant 
Garnett  followed  the  regiment  through  the  whole  of  the  campaign 
in  which  it  was  engaged;  subsequently  assuming  the  duties  of 
adjutant  of  the  regiment;  and  adding  to  these  his  professional 
services  as  a  surgeon,  whenever  occasion  made  such  demands  on 
his  skill  and  generosity. 

Returning  from  the  Mexican  War  in  1848,  he  married,  and 
immediately  resumed  the  practise  of  his  profession  at  the  county 
seat  of  Westmoreland,  where  he  was  soon  elected  colonel  of  the 
Westmoreland  militia. 

At  the  call  of  his  country  in  1861,  he  unhesitatingly  renounced 
all  "luxurious  deliglits"  to  join  with  his  countrymen  in  their 
struggle  for  liberty.  In  the  spring  of  1861,  he  was  unanimously 
elected  captain  of  a  volunteer  company  of  cavalry  from  his  neigh- 
borhood, known  as  Lee's  Light  House,"  afterwards  as  Company  C, 
9tli  Virginia  Cavalry.  In  June,  he  was  appointed  lieutenant-colonel 
of  the  48th  Virginia  Infantry.     He  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  531 

Cedar  Run,  while  commanding  the  2d  Brigade  of  the  "Stonewall 
Division,"  and  remained  in  the  saddle  five  hours  after  being  shot, 
in  his  exalted  sense  of  duty. 

In  1863,  shortly  before  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  he  re- 
eeiA'ed  his  commission  as  colonel  of  his  regiment;  and,  while 
heroically  leading  the  2d  Brigade  of  the  "Stonewall  Division"  on 
that  bloody  field,  was  mortally  wounded.  He  bore  his  bodily  suffer- 
ing with  unflinching  courage  and  unmurmuring  patience  until  the 
following  morning  when  he  died,  in  the  prime  of  manhood,  and  with 
a  future  promising  a  broader  sphere  of  usefulness  and  higher 
honors. 

Second  Lieutenant  Carlton  Radford  Munford,  of  Richmond, 
Virginia,  matriculated  1841.  His  father  was  William  Munford, 
graduate  of  William  and  Mary  College,  member  of  both  houses  of 
the  General  Assembly  of  Virginia,  from  Mecklenburg  County,  and 
the  accomplished  scholar  who  translated  Homer's  Iliad;  and  his 
grandfather  was  Colonel  Robert  Munford,  who  was  a  captain  in 
George  Washington's  Regiment,  and  served  on  his  staff  in  the 
Indian  War  (see  Bland  Papers).  His  mother  was  a  daughter  of 
Captain  William  Radford,  who  was  the  son  of  Captain  William 
Radford  of  the  Virginia  Navy  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  who 
was  captured  in  the  West  Indies,  incarcerated  in  the  Tower  of 
London,  and  escaped  through  the  instrumentality  of  Lafayette. 
Thus  it  is  seen  this  handsome,  promising,  and  gallant  young  man 
inherited  a  fondness  for  arms. 

Leaving  the  Institute  in  1842,  he  spent  the  following  session  at 
the  University  of  Virginia.  When  the  First  Virginia  Regiment  was 
raised  for  the  Mexican  War,  he  was  associated  with  Captain  Car- 
rington  and  Lieutenant  Porterfield  (both  Institute  Alumni)  in 
organizing  Company  A,  of  which  he  became  second  lieutenant. 

His  career  was  very  brief,  for  he  died  upon  the  "field  of  honor" 
in  a  duel  with  Captain  Washington  S.  Mahan  of  his  regiment,  near 
China,  in  Mexico.  Colonel  George  A.  Porterfield,  his  friend  and 
classmate  at  the  Institute  and  his  fellow-officer  in  Mexico,  thus 
speaks  of  the  sad  tragedy:  "I  had  been  sent  to  Camergo  on  of- 
ficial business  and  arrived  on  May  21.  That  evening,  an  express 
came  in  with  the  news  that  a  fatal  meeting  had  taken  place  be- 
tween Lieutenant  Munford  of  my  company  and  Lieutenant  Mahan 
of  Captain  Bankhead's  company.  I  started  back  on  the  2tth  to 
China  (a  small  town  half-way  between  Camergo  and  Monterey), 
where  my  battalion  was  stationed;  and,  on  the  roadside  near  China, 
I  saw  a  fresh  grave  which  I  learned  was  that  of  my  friend  and  class- 
mate. Lieutenant  Carlton  R.  Munford.  He  had  died  on  the  night 
of  May  22d,  after  intense  suffering.  The  duel  was  fought  about 
a  mile  west  of  China.  The  weapons  used  were  muskets,  loaded  by 
agreement  as  each  contestant  might  think  proper.      Munford  used 


532  The  Military  Histoey  of 

the  usual  cartridge  of  a  ball  and  three  buckshot;  Mahan  loaded 
with  buckshot.  They  advanced  until  about  50  yards  apart;  they 
then  raised  their  pieces  and  advanced  until  20  yards  apart,  when 
both  fired  at  precisely  the  same  time.  Both  fell,  apparently  dead, 
and  were  carried  into  town  on  litters.  Several  buckshot  had  passed 
through  Munford's  bowels; — one  through  Mahan's  breast;  he  lin- 
gered about  two  weeks,  and  died.  Captain  Young  and  Bankhead 
were  witnesses  of  the  duel." 

First  Lieutenant  Thomas  S.  Garnett,  M.  D.  (V.  M.  I.),  of  the 
same  regiment,  was  also  present,  in  the  capacity  (it  is  inferred)  of 
surgeon. 

Lieutenant  Mahan  was  d.  son  of  Professor  Dennis  H.  Mahan 
of  the  United  States  Military  Academy,  and  Lieutenant  Munford 
was  an  uncle  of  General  Thos.  T.  Munford  (V.  M.  I.).  Colonel 
Porterfield  added  that  General  Taylor  was  very  severe  upon  the 
officers  (and  especially  Major  Jubal  A.  Early,  who  was  in  com- 
mand of  the  regiment  at  the  time)  for  permitting  the  duel  to  take  . 
place. 

General  A.  C.  Cummings  also  wrote,  as  follows,  of  Lieutenant 
Munford:  "I  knew  him  well  and  esteemed  him  highly,  and  have 
a  very  pleasant  recollection  of  our  association  together  at  the  Insti- 
tute. He  was  in  the  Mexican  War,  but  I  never  met  him  in  Mexico. 
I  was  in  the  army  commanded  by  General  Scott,  on  the  line  from 
Vera  Cruz  to  the  City  of  Mexico;  and  he  on  the  line  of  the  Rio 
Grande,  imder  the  command  of  General  Taylor;  and  we  were  thus 
widely  separated.  He  was  in  the  volunteer  regiment  from  Virginia, 
commanded  by  Colonel  John  F.  Hamtramck,  the  lieutenant- 
colonel  being  Thomas  Beverly  Randolph,  and  the  Major,  the  late 
General  Jubal  A.  Early.  He  was  killed  in  a  duel  with  Lieutenant 
Washington  S.  Mahan;  and,  according  to  the  published  account — 
at  the  time,  they  fought  with  army  muskets,  and  were  both  killed." 

In  this  connection,  the  following  order  will  be  of  interest : 

"Headquarters^  Army  of  Occupation, 

"Monterey,  December  10,  1847. 
"Orders — No.  134. 

"The  President  of  the  United  States  has  directed  that  a  Court 
of  Inquiry  be  instituted  to  investigate  certain  allegations  and 
charges  contained  in  a  letter  signed  by  John  Ashton,  Jr.,  George  M. 
Kiem,  John  Davis,  and  others,  dated  Philadelphia,  September, 
1847,  in  relation  to  a  duel  said  to  have  taken  place  near  China, 
Mexico,  on,  or  about,  the  20th  of  May,  1847,  between  2d  Lieu- 
tenants Carlton  R.  Munford  and  Washington  S.  Mahan,  of  the 
regiment  of  Virginia  Volunteers,  which  resulted  in  the  death  of 
the  parties  engaged;  and  to  which,  it  is  alleged,  Captain  Smith  P. 
Bankhead  and  John  P.  Young,  and  1st  Lieutenant  Thomas  S, 
Garnett,  all  of  the  Virginia  Volunteers,  were  accessories. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  533 

"A  Court  of  Inquiry  will  therefore  assemble  at  Buena  Vista, 
Mexico,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.,  on  the  10th  instant,  or  as  soon  there- 
after as  practicable,  for  the  purpose  referred  to  above.  The  Court 
will  report  the  facts,  and  give  an  opinion  on  the  merits  of  the 
case. 

"  'Details  for  the  Court: 

"Colonel   Charles    Clarke,   Mississippi    Regiment   Volunteers. 
"Major  M.  S.  Stokes,  North  Carolina  Regiment  Volunteers. 
"Captain  P.  M.  Henry,  North  Carolina  Regiment  Volunteers. 
"1st   Lieutenant   John   F.    Reynolds,   3d   Regiment   Artillery,   is 
appointed  Judge-Advocate. 

"By  command  of  Brigadier-General  Wool, 

"Irvin  McDowell, 
"Assistant  Adjutant-General. 
"Official, 

"G.    A.    PORTERFIELD, 

"Assistant  Artillery  Adjutant-General." 

The  findings  of  the  Court  are  not  known  to  this  writer;  nor  has 
he  ever  heard  what  was  the  cause  of  the  duel  which  thus  brought 
two  such  promising  careers  to  an  untimely  end. 

Second  Lieutenant  Robert  Henry  (?)  Keeling,  of  Tidewater, 
Virginia.  In  September,  1843,  he  was  entered  at  the  Institute,  and 
was  graduated  in  the  Class  of  IS^G,  standing  well  up  in  his  class  on 
general  merit.  His  father  was  the  Rev.  Harry  Keeling,  a  Baptist 
Minister  who  lived  in  Richmond  at  the  time  he  matriculated  his 
son  at  the  Institute.  Shortly  after  graduating,  he  was  commissioned 
second  lieutenant  in  the  First  Virginia  Volunteers,  and  served  in 
this  capacity  during  the  Mexican  War. 

From  the  close  of  this  War  until  the  summer  of  1861,  his  home 
was  in  Alabama,  where  he  had  been  a  teacher,  and,  finally,  principal 
of  a  male  academy,  at  Tuskegee.  He  promptly  organized  a  com- 
pany, composed  principally  of  his  students,  and  came  with  it  to 
Virginia.  This  company  was  attached  to  the  13th  Alabama 
Infantry. 

In  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines,  May  31,  1862,  he  was  instantly 
killed,  while  leading  his  regiment  (acting  colonel)  in  a  charge 
upon  the  enemy's  works.     He  left  a  widow  and  five  children. 

Those  who  knew  him  represented  him  as  a  brave,  generous,  and 
strictly  honorable  gentleman  who  was  greatly  beloved  by  friends 
and  comrades. 

Second  Lieutenant  Harry  Watson  Williamson,  of  Norfolk. 
Virginia.  He  was  a  younger  brother  of  General  Williamson  who 
was  in  the  first  Faculty  of  the  Institute,  and  served  as  a  dis- 
tinguished  and   popular    professor   until   his    death,    in    1888.      He 


534  The  Military  History  or 

f^raduated  at  the  V.  M.  I.  in  1845.  In  18i6,  he  was  appointed 
second  lieutenant  in  the  First  Virginia  Volunteers,  and  went  with 
the  regiment  to  Mexico.  A  part  of  the  time  during  the  War,  he  was 
attached  to  the  famous  battery  of  Captain  Braxton  Bragg  (later 
General  in  the  Confederate  Army).  He  served  with  conspicuous 
gallantry  during  the  War  with   Mexico. 

In  1861,  at  the  beginning  of  the  Confederate  War,  he  was 
captain  of  a  volunteer  organization  previously  raised  in  Norfolk, 
known  as  Company  F,  which  was  stationed  at  Craney  Island. 
After  the  evacuation  of  Norfolk,  this  company,  with  others,  was 
marched  to  Suffolk,  and  thence  to  Petersburg,  and  was  placed  in 
the  6th  Virginia  Regiment,  Mahone's  Brigade,  and  was  then  known 
as  Company  G  of  that  regiment.  T.ater,  Captain  Williamson  was 
promoted  to  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  6th  Virginia  Infantry. 

He  was  wounded  at  Second  Manassas ;  again  at  the  Wilderness ; 
lost  a  hand  at  Spottsylvania  Courthouse,  and  an  arm  at  the  Crater. 
At  Drewry's  Bluif,  he  commanded  600  sharpshooters,  and  at  the 
battle  of  Malvern  Hill,  he  commanded  his  regiment. 

In  the  winter  of  1864,  he  was  incapacitated  for  further  service  in 
the  field,  and  was  appointed  an  assistant  professor  at  the  Institute. 
After  the  War,  he  was  a  civil  engineer,  and  in  1876  was  appointed 
Librarian  of  the  Institute.  On  October  24,  1861,  he  married  Patty 
Green,  daughter  of  Captain  William  Green  of  the  U.  S.  Navy.  At 
the  time  of  his  death  he  was  a  widower,  and  he  left  no  children. 
He  died  in  Lexington,  Virginia,  October  10,  1884.  and  was  buried 
in  the  Cadet  Cemetery. 

Second  Lieutenant 'Beverley  T.  Hunter,  of  Martinsburg,  Vir- 
ginia, matriculated  by  his  sister  in  Louisiana,  July  18,  1845.  Son 
of  Moses  T.  Hunter,  a  brilliant  lawyer  and  wit,  and  a  soldier  in 
the  War  of  1812,  and  his  wife  Mary  Snicker.  His  parents  dying 
while  their  two  daughters  and  three  sons  were  very  young,  the 
latter  went  to  live  with  their  father's  sister,  the  wife  of  Judge 
Henry  St.  George  Tucker,  professor  of  law  at  the  University  of 
Virginia. 

In  this  happy  home  they  remained  until  the  marriage  of  one 
of  the  sisters  to  Mr.  Alfred  Conrad  Weeks,  a  large  sugar  planter 
on  the  Bayou  Teche,  Louisiana.  The  unmarried  sister.  Miss  Fannie 
Washington  Hunter,  also  went  to  Louisiana,  and  lived  with  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Weeks.  She  assumed  the  sole  care  of  her  three  younger 
brothers,  and  never  was  sister  more  devoted.  It  was  she  wlio 
signed  the  matriculation  papers  for  her  two  brothers,  Henry  St. 
George  Tucker  (see  sketch  elsewhere  in  this  book)  and  Beverley  T. 
Hunter,  when  they  both  entered  the  Institute.  Beverley  had  sjpent 
but  one  year  at  the  Institute  when  the  War  with  Mexico  occurred. 
His  home  being  in  Louisiana,  he  volunteered  as  a  second  lieutenant 
in  the  Louisiana  Mounted  Volunteers.     On  his  return  to  Louisiana 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  535 

he  began  the  study  of  law,  and  was  thus  engaged  when  the  mis- 
guided patriot,  Narciso  Loj^ez,  organized  his  ill-fated  expedition 
to  free  Cuba,  in  1850.  Beverley  Hunter  joined  Lopez,  and  served 
under  Saunders  in  Crittenden's  command,  as  second  lieutenant,  un- 
til his  tragic  death,  August  18,   1851. 

His  elder  brother,  Henry  St.  George,  who  had  also  been  a  cadet, 
was  at  this  time  an  ensign  (later,  acting  lieutenant)  in  the  United 
States  Navy,  serving  on  Commodore  Perry's  flagship ;  and  his 
younger  brother  was  a  civil  engineer,  engaged  in  building  the 
Memphis  &  Charleston  Railroad.  It  does  not  seem  out  of  place 
to  quote  here  a  part  of  a  letter  from  Miss  Fannie  Washington 
Hunter,  his  sister,  to  her  brother  Brooke,  at  Memphis: 

"Belle  Grove   (St.   Mary's  Parish,  La), 

"September  18,  (1851). 

"I  have  dated  and  commenced  this  letter  on  m}^  dear  Brooke's 
birthday,  that  he  might  see  I  thought  of  him.  I  have  postponed 
finishing  this  from  day  to  day  in  the  hope  of  receiving  some  definite 
intelligence  in  relation  to  our  dear  Bev,  but  we  are  still  in  the  same 
state  of  suspense ;  and,  although  I  can  not  say  I  hope,  still,  I  can 
not  feel  that  he  is  gone  from  our  midst  forever,  until  I  learn  some- 
thing from  those  who  saw  him  last.  We  have  written  to  all  of  the 
prisoners  who  have  been  released,  and  think  we  must  obtain  some 
information  before  long.  We  saw  from  the  papers  a  list  of  officers 
in  which  his  company  formed  part  of  Crittenden's  command.  Van 
Fletcher  was  the  first  lieutenant  under  Saunders  and  Bev,  second; 
so  he  at  least  must  have  known  him,  and  can  tell  where  he  last  saw 
him.  I  have  always  thought  he  was  amongst  that  twenty  who  were 
shot,  while  guarding  the  wounded,  for  that  is  so  like  Bev.  God 
only  knows  where  he  has  fallen,  and  very  probably  we  shall  never 
know,  and  with  all  his  bright  hopes  he  will  fill  a  nameless  grave. 
I  must  thank  you,  my  dear  Brooke,  for  your  last  kind  letter ;  it  was 
indeed  a  balm  to  my  heart,  and  it  rises  in  thankfulness  to  my 
Heavenly  Father  for  having  spared  me  such  a  blessing  and  com- 
fort, as  you  are  to  me ;  for  never  have  you — except  for  anxiety 
for  your  health — given  me  a  sore  heart,  and  in  all  of  our  inter- 
course I  don't  remember  a  single  circumstance  to  give  me  pain ; 
and  no  one  can  conceive  the  comfort  of  looking  back  and  seeing 
so  much  to  give  comfort,  under  the  sad  circumstances  we  are  now 
placed  in.  I  feel  so  thankful  that  my  dear  Bev  and  I  always  got 
along  harmoniously,  and  that  I  was  placed  in  circumstances  to  add 
somewhat  to  his  comfort,  and  in  no  part  of  his  life  was  he  ever  more 
kind  and  considerate  than  the  latter  part  of  it;  and  I  shall  never 
cease  to  be  grateful  that  I  came  out  here  last  winter.     We  had  a 

most   touching  letter   from   Mr.    's   brother,   a   few   days   ago, 

begging  what  information  we  could  give  of  his  brother,  and  say- 
ing that  his  brother  spoke  in  the  highest  terras  of  Bev.      I  wrote 


536  The  Military  History  of 

him   everything   that    I    tliought    would    give    comfort    on    such    an 
occasion. 

"I  saw  from  the  papers,  a  few  days  ago,  that  Hal's  (Henry  St. 
George's)  vessel  was  at  Acapulco,  awaiting  dispatches  from  Wash- 
ington. They  will  sail  to  the  Sandwich  Islands;  from  there  to 
California;  and  then  home,  which  will  be,  I  suppose,  next  spring. 

"May  God  bless  you,  prays, 

"Your  sister, 

"Fanny." 

But  the  devoted  sister's  worst  forebodings  were,  alas,  realized! 
All  doubts  of  her  idolized  brother's  cruel  death  were  soon  removed ; 
and  in  the  Winchester  Virginian  appeared  this  touching  obituary: 

"beverley  t.   hunter 

"The  uncertainty  which  developed  the  fate  of  the  young  gentle- 
man whose  name  heads  this  notice  has  hitherto  restrained  those  by 
whom  his  memory  is  highly  esteemed  from  paying  a  tribute  to  the 
chivalry  and  worth  of  his  character.  But  recent  accounts  have 
dispelled  this  uncertainty,  and  have  ascertained  that  he  is  no  longer 
among  the  living. 

"Mr.  Hunter  was  born  in  Martinsburg,  and  was  the  son  of  the 
late  Moses  T.  Hunter,  Esq.,  of  that  place,  and  was  at  the  time  of 
his  death  twenty-five  years  of  age.  He  was  by  nature  ardent  and 
enthusiastic ;  in  character,  brave,  gallant,  generous,  true.  He  com- 
bined a  disposition  which  was  gentle,  affectionate  and  kind,  with 
a  spirit  full  of  daring  and  eager  for  adventure.  Few  men  have 
ever  realized  in  life  the  dreams  of  boyhood  so  nearly  as  the  subject 
of  this  notice.  With  nothing  of  unamiability  in  his  intercourse,  but 
with  the  reverse  thoughts  of  battle  and  strife,  of  high  and  noble 
contention  for  right  against  the  power  of  wrong,  of  enterprise  de- 
manding struggle  in  order  to  win  victory, — seemed  from  childhood 
to  fill  his  soul. 

"Accordingly,  when  the  War  with  Mexico  broke  out,  though 
engaged  in  an  occupation  which  seemed  to  please  him,  he  was  rest- 
less and  impatient,  until  he  left  his  native  State  (he  was  a  cadet 
at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  at  this  time)  for  the  avenue  of 
battle;  and,  although  it  was  not  his  fortune  to  be  in  those  engage- 
ments which  have  given  immortality  to  so  much  heroism  and  dar- 
ing, he  gained  distinction  wherever  there  was  strife,  by  his  fearless 
and  bold  character.  Peace  found  him  prepared  for  more  sober 
life  in  which  he  honorably  and  industriously  engaged  for  an  inde- 
pendence, in  the  State  of  Louisiana. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  537 

"During  the  last  summer,  the  story  of  Cuban  wrongs  suffered 
under  Spanish  outrage,  together  with  the  fitting  out  of  the  Lopez 
Expedition,  and  the  excitement  thereupon,  again  aroused  the  spirit 
of  young  Hunter  in  a  course  which  commended  itself  to  his  romantic 
love  for  adventure,  and  to  his  hearty  sympathy  in  all  movements 
which  had  liberty  as  their  object.  He  joined  that  ill-fated  ex- 
pedition with  high,  pure  and  noble  resolution  to  strike  one  blow, 
as  he  believed,  in  behalf  of  down-trodden  Cuba  against  Spanish 
despotism.  He  may  have  been  mistaken  in  his  views — he  may  have 
been  deceived  by  the  representations  of  things — but  his  heart  re- 
sponded to  none  other  than  a  noble  motive,  and  recoiled  from  every 
incentive  which  was  mean  or  sordid. 

"He  was  at  one  time,  on  his  arrival  in  Cuba,  with  Crittenden's 
command.  Separated  from  the  latter  by  events  which  it  is  un- 
necessary to  detail  (along  with  about  eighteen  others),  he  avoided 
the  butchery  to  which  they  were  mercilessly  devoted,  and  found  a 
fate  more  congenial  to  his  daring  nature.* 

"From  his  intrepid  conduct  and  unshrinking  firmness,  he  was 
selected  as  the  commander  of  the  little  band  who  were  with  him. 
The  day  after  their  separation  from  Crittenden's  force,  they  were 
attacked  by  a  considerable  body  of  Spaniards  who  called  upon 
them  to  surrender.  Hunter  cried  out,  'Never!'  In  the  front 
rank,  urging  his  command  to  the  fray,  and  fighting  (says  our  in- 
formant) like  a  tiger,  he  was  shot  down,  and  died  instantly.  With 
the  exception  of  four  who  escaped,  his  friends  shared  the  same 
fate. 

"Thus  perished,  in  an  unfortunate  expedition  whose  attractive 
power  has  cast  the  pall  of  mourning  and  grief  over  so  many  hearts 
in  the  Union,  one  of  those  gallant  and  chivalrous  spirits  who  need 
but  opportunity  to  gain  a  brilliant  and  shining  reputation. 

"Cuba,  we  fear,  has  shown  herself  untrue  to  her  own  liberty, 
and  unworthy  of  his  sacrifice  to  it.  There  is,  however,  a  great 
source  of  pride  in  the  reflection  that  there  was  nothing  in  the  con- 
duct, or  motives,  of  Mr.  Hunter,  which  would  not  have  enabled 
any  cause, — which  does  not  cast  honor  upon  his  name,  and  cause 
the  memory  of  his  virtues  to  be  more  fondly  cherished  and  em- 
balmed in  the  hearts  of  his  friends." 

"They   made   him   a   grave   too   cold   and   damp 
For  a  heart  so  warm  and  true." 

Second  Lieutenant  Alexander  Cassius  Layne,  of  Alleghany 
County,  Virginia;  matriculated  1842.  He  was  a  son  of  the  Hon. 
Douglas  B.  Layne  who  represented  his  county  in  the  Virginia 
Assembly  for  many  years,  and  who  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Visitors  of  the  Institute.  His  mother  was  from  Rockbridge  County, 
Virginia,  and  was  born  Mary  Holmes. 

*Lopez  and  his  followers  who  were  captured  by  the  Spaniards  were  executed 
in    Havana,   Cuba,    Sept.    1,    1851. 


538  The  Military  History  or 

Soon  after  leaving  the  Institute,  he  responded  to  the  call  to 
arms,  and  went  to  the  scene  of  war,  in  Mexico.  His  only  surviving 
child  states  that  he  was  a  lieutenant,  though  there  is  no  mention  of 
him  in  the  Register  of  the  volunteer  officers  in  the  War.  This 
is  doubtless  an  "unintentional  omission;  for,  with  his  high  qualifica- 
tions, there  is  scarcely  room  for  doubt  that  he  served  as  a  com- 
missioned officer.  On  being  mustered  out  of  the  United  States 
Military  service,  he  was  appointed  first  lieutenant  in  the  "State 
Public  Guard,"*  in  which  position  he  served  till  his  death,  August 
22,  1860.  He  was  buried  at  Hollywood,  Richmond.  His  whole 
brief  life  was  spent  in  the  military  service  of  his  State  and  his 
Country.  He  was  a  genial.  Christian  gentleman,  and  true  soldier, 
who  bravely  met,  and  overcame,  the  last  enemy,  Death. 

Sergeant-Major  James  Baldwin  Dorman,  of  Rockbridge 
County,  Virginia,  was  graduated  "Second  Distinguished"  in  the 
Class  of  1843.  He  was  a  son  of  General  Charles  P.  Dorman.  who 
was  an  influential  member  of  the  Legislature  for  some  years 
previously  to  1839,  and  during  that  year  had  probably  more  to  do 
with  the  founding  of  the  Institute  than  any  citizen  of  Virginia. 
He  was  the  patron  of  the  Bill  under  which  the  School  was  estab- 
lished, and  as  chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Schools  and  Colleges, 
early  in  the  year  of  1839,  reported  favorably  the  Bill  which  was 
passed,  converting  the  old  Arsenal  into  the  V.  M.  I.;  and  he  was 
a  member  of  the  first  Board  of  Visitors  of  the  Institute. 

Dorman  served  awhile  as  an  assistant  professor  at  the  Institute, 
and  then  became  a  lawyer.  He  volunteered  as  a  private,  and  be- 
came a  sergeant-major,  in  the  Volunteers,  in  the  Mexican  War — 
the  Colonel  Wool's  Regiment  of  Texas  Rangers.  He  served  gal- 
lantly with  this  regiment  in  the  battle  of  Monterey. 

Returning  home  after  being  mustered  out  of  the  service,  he  be- 
came actively  engaged  in  his  profession,  and  in  politics.  He  was 
elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1848,  and  reelected  in  1849,  and  1850. 
In  1861,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Secession  Convention  of 
Virginia. 

In  the  War  of  1861-65,  he  served  with  distinction  as  major  of  the 
9th  Virginia  Infantry  and  as  assistant  adjutant-general  on  the 
staffs  of  Generals  D.  H.  Hill  and  B.  D.  Fry  (V.  M.  I.).  At  the 
close  of  the  War,  he  resumed  his  law  practise  at  Lexington,  which 
he  continued,  with  great  success  and  distinction,  until  1883,  when 
he  was  chosen  for  the  position  of  Clerk  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Appeals,  and  removed  his  residence  to  Staunton.  He  held  this 
office  until  his  death,  August  4.  1893. 

*Thls  was  the  '"standing  army"  of  Virginia — a  company  of  duly  enlisted 
men,  and  officered  by  a  captain  and  three  lieutenants  whose  post  and  head- 
quarters were  at  the  State  Armory  in  Richmond.  It  was  commanded,  at  this 
time,  by  Capt.  Charles  Dimmock  (later,  brigadier-general),  a  graduate  of  the 
V.  S.  M.  A.,  and  an  old  Army  officer.  Soon  after  the  War  of  1861 -'05,  the 
"State   Guard"   was  mustered  out  of  service,   and   was  never   re-organized. 


The  Vikginia  Military  Institute  539 

Major  Dorman  was  a  man  of  marked  culture  and  ability.  As 
an  advocate  at  the  bar,  and  speaker  on  the  hustings,  he  had  few 
superiors.  His  tastes  were  literary,  and  he  devoted  much  time  to 
books.  His  mind  was  richly  stored  with  the  best  thoughts  of  the 
greatest  writers,  and  was  filled  with  a  knowledge  of  men  and 
affairs.  His  manners  were  gentle,  and  socially  he  was  a  charming 
companion;  and  to  his  last  breath  he  was  true  to  the  V.  M.  I. 

He  left  a  widow  and  two  children  who  have  since  died. 

Corporal  Benjamin  Franklin  Ficklin^  of  Albemarle  County, 
Virginia;  graduated  1849. 

He  was  the  son  of  Benjamin  Ficklin,  of  Frederick  County, 
Virginia,  and  his  wife,  Eleaner  Slaughter,  of  Rappahannock 
County,  Virginia. 

Here  is,  in  many  respects,  the  most  remarkable  man  who  ever 
left  the  halls  of  our  Alma  Mater.  As  a  cadet,  possibly  he  never 
had  his  equal  for  mischief  and  pranks.  There  was  nothing  he 
would  not  adventure  if  it  promised  fun.  He  was  constantly  hauled 
before  the  Superintendent  for  violations  of  the  regulations  and 
breaches  of  discipline ;  and,  yet,  he  always  got  the  best  of  that 
keen-witted  and  ever-zealous  official;  till,  finally,  in  his  Third  Class 
year  Ficklin  reached  the  limit  of  Colonel  Smith's  patience,  and  was 
expelled.  It  should  be  said,  for  fear  of  misunderstanding,  that, 
with  all  his  derelictions  as  a  cadet,  Ficklin  was  the  soul  of  Iionor, 
and  the  most  popular  man  in  the  Corps.  His  dismissal  occurred 
about  the  time  of  the  Mexican  War,  and  Ben  at  once  volunteered 
for  service.  The  novelty,  adventure  and  excitement  of  a  war  were 
to  his  taste,  to  a  "tee." 

He  joined  the  Army,  and  made  a  good  record,  rising  to  the 
distinction  of  a  corporal,  for  meritorious  service.  Peace  declared, 
he  returned  to  Virginia,  and  to  Lexington.  He  applied  to  the 
Superintendent  for  reenlistment,  which  was  refused  instantly.  He 
took  up  his  quarters  in  Lexington,  and  announced  that  he  was  going 
to  graduate.  Daily,  he  visited  the  Superintendent's  office,  every 
time  with  a  new  plea  and  a  new  argument,  to  be  turned  down  every 
time  by  "Old  Specks."  Finally,  he  said, — "Colonel  Smith,  to  prove 
I  am  not  altogether  past  redemption,  I  went  to  Mexico  and  did 
my  duty  in  the  ranks,  and  was  made  a  corporal!" — Colonel  Smith 
was  at  last  conquered,  and  he  said, — Mr.  Ficklin,  Fll  reinstate  you 
on  my  own  responsibility.  So,  Ben  reentered  the  Corps,  and  was 
graduated  with  his  Class. 

His  subsequent  career  reads  like  a  romance,  and  is  so  interest- 
ing and  eventful  that  we  feel  that  an  epitomized  story  of  it  should 
be  told  here.  We  are  indebted  to  the  Institute's  Official  Historiog- 
rapher for  the  letters  that  follow.  The  late  Colonel  William  W. 
Finney  was  a  classmate  of  Ficklin,  and  his  associate  in  his  wonder- 
ful   "Pony    Express"    project    and    "Central    Overland    California 


540  The  Military  History  of 

and  Pike's  Peak  Express  and  Stage  Co."  So,  he  was  requested  to 
prepare  a  sketch  of  Colonel  Ficklin's  life.  This  was  the  reply 
he  made: 

"BoscoBEL  P.  O.,  Va.,  April  17,  1909. 

"Captain  Joseph  R.  Anderson, 
"Lee,  Va., 

"My  Dear  Fellow-Alumnus — Your  esteemed  favor  of  the 
29th  ultimo,  after  an  eccentric  orbit  to  Richmond,  Petersburg,  and 
perchance  elsewhere,  finally  reached  me  at  the  above-named  post- 
office,  in  time,  I  must  admit,  to  have  been  acknowledged  many  days 
ago,  had  I  been  at  all  spry.  But,  alas !  I  am  no  longer  that,  with 
the  weight  of  within  twenty-nine  days  of  eighty  years  of  my  'tremb- 
ling limbs.'  That  is  a  good  work,  mon  ami,  in  which  you  are  en- 
gaged— a  work  to  endure  for  ages.  I  heartily  wish  you  complete 
success  in  it. 

"Now,  that  you  ask  me  to  sketch  the  life  of  my  closest  friend, 
the  late  Major  B.  F.  Ficklin,  I  regret  more  than  ever  that  the 
sketch  I  had  carried  well-nigh  to  completion,  a  few  years  after  his 
death — when  memory  was  fresher,  fuller  and  more  accurate  than 
it  can  ever  be  again — was  lost  at  some  time  and  place  in  my  frequent 
wanderings,  during  the  long  intervening  period. 

"Truth  to  say,  captain,  the  loss  of  that  manuscript  (coupled  with 
my  present  inability  to  recall  much  of  Major  Ficklin's  eventful 
life)  makes  me  know,  even  more  fully  than  heretofore,  how  un- 
equal I  am  to  the  sketch  you  would  have  me  undertake.  And,  yet, 
I  feel  this  to  be  essentially  a  case  of  'noblesse  oblige,'  seeing  that 
I  was  assuredly  more  closely  in  contact  with  that  life  than  any 
one  else  now  living.  So  that,  to  reach  'the  conclusion  of  the  whole 
matter,'  I  here  and  now  promise  you  to  do  as  you  ask,  asking  in 
turn  that  you  give  me  as  long  a  time  as  possible,  and,  if  practicable 
let  me  overlook  what  I  have  sent  you  in  regard  to  my  own  life's 
absolute  failure.  This,  perchance,  will  bring  to  my  mind  incidents 
in  the  life  of  Ficklin  that  I  do  not  now  remember. 

"Wishing  you  'good  luck  in  the   Lord,' 

"I  am  your  friend, 
"William  W.  Finney. 

"I  think  I  have  already  told  you  of  my  inability  to  write  legibly 
with  pen  and  ink,  owing  to  tremulousness,  and  asking  to  be  ex- 
cused."     (His  chirography  is  exquisite). 

The  Historiographer  had  every  right  to  expect  a  sketch  of 
thrilling  interest  and  of  immense  historic  value,  to  be  prepared  by 
this  beloved  old  comrade  who  combined  the  gifts  of  a  graceful 
and  skillful  writer  with  a  knowledge  of  the  subject,  possessed  by 
no  other  living  person.     He  set  about  the  task  at  once,  but  his  more 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  541 

than  eighty  years  were  telling  upon  the  erstwhile  robust  frame  and 
brilliant  mind,  and  his  progress  was  consequently  slow,  and  in- 
creasingly difficult.  Still,  he  sent  messages,  from  time  to  time,  to 
his  anxious  correspondent  that  he  would  soon  complete  his  task. 
But,  alas,  the  hand  of  Death  was  laid  upon  him,  and  the  spirit  of 
the  noble  patriot  took  its  flight  to  the  Heavenly  world  to  commune 
once  more  with  that  of  the  long-lost  classmate  whose  deeds  he  had 
promised  to  recount. 

It  was  a  grievous  disappointment.  But,  fortunately,  our 
Historiographer  discovered  in  a  distant  State  a  kinsman  of  Colonel 
Ficklin, — himself  an  old  "V.  M.  I.  Boy,"  and,  strange  to  say,  an 
associate  of  Colonel  Ficklin  in  his  great  western  enterprise.  This 
was  Major  J.  E.  Ficklin,  of  Texas  (formerly  of  Virginia),  and  later 
a  member  of  the  staff  of  General  Gabriel  C.  Wharton  (V.  M.  I.) 
of  the  Confederate  Army.  This  was  surely  a  fortunate  "find"  and 
was  availed  of  immediately.  The  following  correspondence  will 
give  the  gist  of  Colonel  Ficklin's  remarkable  career,  and  is  inserted 
here  with  confidence  that  it  will  be  interesting  to  our  readers: 

"Lee,  Va., 1910. 

"Major  J.  E.  Ficklin, 

"1823    Matamoros   Street,, 

"San  Antonio,  Texas. 

"Dear  Major  Ficklin — Your  letter  of  the  6th  instant  is  just 
at  hand,  for  which  I  thank  you. 

"I  am  glad  you  are  over  the  strain  you  have  been  subjected  to 
so  long,  and  can  take  a  needed  rest.  I  hope  you  will  be  able  to 
carry  out  your  present  plan  to  return  to  Virginia  next  year.  I  am 
sorry  you  were  disappointed  with  the  result  of  the  'notes'  you  wrote 
in  regard  to  Colonel  B.  F'.  Ficklin.  I  have  no  doubt  they  would 
have  been  very  interesting,  and  valuable  to  me.  You  want  me  to 
frame  a  series  of  questions  in  regard  to  this  most  interesting  and 
unique  character.     I  will  do  so.     Here  goes. — 

"He  was  a  cadet  when  the  Mexican  War  broke  out,  and  was 
'shipped'  about  that  time  for  some  serious  breach  of  discipline. 
(I  have  heard  he  was  always  in  trouble  at  the  Institute,  owing  to 
his  mischievous  propensities  which  were  never  vicious,  however). 
He  came  back  after  peace  was  declared,  and  presented  himself 
before  'Old  Specks,'  and,  with  a  corporal's  chevrons  on  his  arm 
(showing  a  reward  for  faithfully  performing  his  duty  in  the  War), 
asked  for  reinstatement.  'Specks'  could  not  resist  his  arguments 
and  promises  of  amendment;  and  so,  he  was  reinstated,  and 
graduated  in  1849,  with  his  Class.  Before  graduating  he  com- 
mitted many  minor  offenses  against  military  law,  but  they  were 
condoned.  This  much,  in  substance,  I  have  heard  'Old  Specks' 
tell  often. 


542  The  Military  History  of 

"1.     Do  you  know  anything  of  his  Mexican  experiences? 
"2.     What  was  the  Tony  Express'? 
"3.     Did  Ficklin  establish  it? 
"4.     Was  anyone  associated  with  him? 
"5.     When  was  it  established? 
"6.     When  did  he  give  up  this  work? 
"7.     What  did  he  engage  in  afterwards? 
"8.     When  did  he  establish  Stage-Lines  in  Alabama,  and 
Texas? 

"9.  Give  interesting  incidents  of  his  pioneer  life  in  the 
far  West. 

"10.  Did  he  have  trouble  with  Indians,  or  'bad  men'? 
"11.  I  heard  of  his  once  going  on  a  long  and  dangerous 
ride  to  get  provisions  for  a  United  States  Army  Post,  or  de- 
tachment of  troops,  which  he  accomplished  amid  great  risks, 
and  thereby  saved  the  Post  from  starvation.  (Historically 
true.)    Can  you  give  me  the  facts? 

"12.  Where  was  he  when  our  War  came  on?  Did  he 
offer  his  services  at  once  to  the  Governor  of  Virginia?  What 
appointment  did  the  Governor  give  him?  Did  he  later  enlist 
in  the  regular  Army  of  the  C.  S.  A.?  If  so,  did  he  receive 
a  military  appointment?  (I  heard  he  had  an  appointment 
but  could  not  serve  regularly  in  the  field  on  account  of  asthma 
which  he  contracted  while  on  the  Plains). 

"13.  What  was  his  mission  to  England,  on  account  of  the 
C.  S.  Government?  Was  it  successful?  Incidents  in  con- 
nection therewith? 

"1  i.  Where  was  he  when  the  War  ended?  His  post- 
bellum  career — what  did  he  do  ? 

"15.  I  have  always  heard  he  was  a  most  generous  and 
liberal-hearted  man — always  ready  to  help  the  distressed  and 
needy.  His  fund  of  humor  was  immense.  Stories  illustrating 
this  feature  of  his  character  will  be  most  acceptable. 

"There,  now,  I  have  given  you  a  text  for  a  long  story. 

"I  have  always  regarded  Colonel  Ficklin  as  one  of  the  most  inter- 
esting characters  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  ever  turned  out, 
and  have  wanted  a  sketch  of  him  that  will  do  justice  to  tlie  memory 
of  this  brave,  generous,  noble  Virginian. 

"With  kindest  regards, 

"Sincerely  your  friend, 

"Joseph  R.  Anderson. 

"Tell  me  anything  you  can  of  Colonel  William  W.  Finney's  con- 
nection with  Colonel  Ficklin.  It  was  most  unfortunate  that  he 
died  while  engaged  in  preparing  notes  for  a  full  sketch  of  him." 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  543 


major   ficklin  s   reply 

"Captain  Joseph  R.  Anderson, 
"Lee,  Va. 

"Dear  Captain — I  have  your  list  of  questions  in  regard  to  the 
late  Colonel  Benjamin  F.   Ficklin,  and  reply  at  once. 

"I  have  heard  (I  think  either  from  his  sister,  Mrs.  Brown,  or 
his  brother  Slaughter)  a  different  version  of  Colonel  Ficklin's 
reinstatement ;  that  he  did  not  present  himself  to  Colonel  Smith, 
and  ask  for  reinstatement,  but  that  the  application  was  first  made 
by  some  influential  gentlemen  who  were  struck  with  Colonel 
Ficklin's  prompt  and  dashing  rescue  from  imminent  danger  of  a 
stagecoach  filled  witli  passengers,  they  being  among  the  number ; 
that  at  Colonel  Smith's  request,  Colonel  Ficklin  presented  himself, 
and  Colonel  Smith  agreed  to  take  him  back  on  condition  that  he 
give  his  word  of  lionor  not  to  infringe  against  the  military  regu- 
lations till  the  Board  of  Visitors  sanctioned  Colonel  Smith's  action 
in  the  matter;  and  I  have  it  from  General  G.  C.  Wharton  (a  class- 
mate of  Colonel  Ficklin's)  that  Ben  was  a  'good  boy',  and  kept  his 
promise  with  Colonel  Smith  till  the  meeting  of  the  Board  confirmed 
his  reinstatement,  and  then  that  'L'  broke  loose  again! 

"I  have  heard  that  Ben  made  as  many  conditions  to  his  return 
to  the  V.  M.  I.  as  Colonel  Smith  exacted  of  him;  and  that  Colonel 
Smith  had  to  grant  every  one  before  Ben  agreed  to  return.  I  have 
seen  his  diploma  (preserved  by  his  sister,  Mrs.  Brown),  with  the 
bayonet  wound  that  he  inflicted  on  it  at  the  time  it  was  handed  to 
him.  I  have  visited  the  academy  at  Abingdon,  Virginia,  where  he 
taught  (immediately  after  •  graduating),  and  became  acquainted 
with  Governor  John  B.  Floyd. 

"Now,  as  to  your  interrogatories: 

"1.      I  know  notliing  of  his  record  in  the  Mexican  War. 

"2.  The  'Pony  Express'  was  a  line  of  ponies  (and 
riders)  extending  from  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  to  San  Francisco, 
California,  intended  for  the  quick  delivery  of  dispatches — 
more  particularly  the  Bills  of  leading  of  gold  shipments  by 
vessels  from  California,  via  Panama.  'The  Central  Overland 
California  and  Pike's  Peak  Express  and  Stage  Co.'  (that 
is,  the  Stage  Line)  was  put  on  the  same  route  as  the  Pony 
Express,  and  about  the  same  time,  and  belonged  to  the  same 
Company. 

"3.  Colonel  Ficklin  did  establish  it;  was  General  Super- 
intendent ;  and  organized  the  Company.  He  went  in  person 
among  the  various  Indian  tribes  and  bought  (or  rather  traded 
for)  most  of  the  ponies. 

"4.  I  do  not  now  recall  all  of  the  associates  he  had  in 
the  Company.      I    recall   Russell,    Majors,   and  Waddell,   and 


544  The  Military  History  or 

Jones  and  Cartwright — large  Government  freighters.  Of  the 
various  assistant  superintendents,  I  recall  the  names  of  Clute 
and  Slade  and  myself,  on  the  Pike's  Peak  Division. 

"5.  The  organization  took  place  in  1858.  I  joined 
Colonel  Ficklin  in  St.  Joseph  in  1859  (after  leaving  the 
Institute),  and  the  Line  was  then  working  to  San  Francisco. 

"6.  Colonel  Ficklin  was  in  Washington  City,  working 
on  mail  contracts,  when  Virginia  passed  the  ordinance  of 
Secession;  and  when  I  reached  Virginia,  in  May,  1861, 
Colonel  Ficklin  was  then  in  Richmond,  and  was  quarter- 
master-general of  Virginia.  I  think  the  transfer  of  all  the 
quartermaster  stores  was  made  to  the  Confederate  States 
by  the  1st  of  August,  1861.  I  remember  meeting  in  Rich- 
mond with  Colonel  Ficklin  on  several  occasions.  General 
Harry  Heth,  Colonel  W.  W.  Finney,  and  General  G.  C. 
Wharton,  and  the  organization  of  the  Floyd  Brigade,  were 
the  chief  subjects  of  conversation.  I  remember  that  General 
Heth  was  to  be  colonel  of  the  45th  Virginia  (Regiment),  and 
that  Wharton,  Ficklin,  and  Finney  were  to  be  lieutenant- 
colonels  and  majors,  respectively.  I  was  with  the  Floyd 
Brigade  when  organized  at  Wytheville,  Virginia.  Colonel 
Ficklin  never  joined  this  brigade,  though  he  held  a  com- 
mission as  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  50th  Virginia  (Regiment). 
General  Floyd  gave  me  a  letter  from  Colonel  Ficklin,  some- 
time about  the  1st  of  January,  1862.  in  which  he  asked  Gen- 
eral Floyd  to  accept  his  resignation,  and  saying  he  would  go 
to  England  as  the  Purchasing  Agent  of  the  C.  S.  Govern- 
ment, and  would  send  the  general  a  battery  of  Napoleon 
guns,  to  cover  the  difference  of  the  appointment.  I  do  not 
remember  that  the  guns  showed  up. 

"8.  I  do  not  know  when  the  Stage  Line  in  Alabama  was 
established;  and  I  do  not  know  that  Colonel  Ficklin  estab- 
lished it.  I  think  the  Line  was  in  operation,  and  Ben  was 
sent  there,  after  he  had  finished  teaching  in  Abingdon 
(1845-50),  and  I  think  that  from  Alabama  he  joined  General 
Albert  Sidney  Johnston  on  his  expedition  to  Salt  Lake, 
against  the  Mormons.  /  do  not  give  this  as  a  known  fact,  but 
rather  as  a  confused  memory.  I  can  not  recall  that  I  ever 
heard  Colonel  Ficklin  say  one  word  about  a  single  thing 
I  have  written.  He  never  talked  about  what  he  had  done; 
but  I  have  a  faint  memory  that  I  got  the  information  from 
his  brother  Slaughter,  and  that  it  was  on  this  expedition  that 
he  rendered  the  service  that  you  ask  about  in  (11)*,  and  that 
it  was  while  on  this  expedition  that  he  conceived  the  idea  of 
the  'Pony  Express'  and  a  stage  Line,  to  California.  Gold  in 
the  Pike's  Peak  region  had  not  been  discovered  at  that  time. 


•This   is  plainly   true. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  545 

The  route  of  the  Pony  and  Stage  Lines  was  identical  with 
the  old  military  road  made  by  General  Johnston  to  Salt 
Lake.  Beyond  Salt  Lake,  I  do  not  now  remember  how 
Colonel  Ficklin  got  his  information  of  the  route;  whether  he 
went  over  it,  or  not,  before  he  put  on  the  stock,  I  can  not 
tell;  but  I  am  rather  of  the  opinion  that  he  went  over  it 
first;  but  when,  I  can  not  say. 

"9.  It  would  take  a  much  better  writer  than  I  to  give 
an  interesting  record  of  the  various  incidents  of  Colonel 
Ficklin's  life  in  the  far  West ;  of  his  life  among  the  Blackfoot 
Indians  after  ponies;  of  the  hanging  of  Jules;  of  the  shoot- 
ing of  Slade  by  Jules ;  and  many  more  legends  of  the  various 
localities  in  which  they  occurred.  I  can  not  attempt  to  tell 
them.  Perhaps  my  business  may  take  me  near  your  home, 
and  if  so,  I  will  certainly  call  on  you  and  give  you  all  the 
information  I  have,  or  can  gather. 

"10,  11,  12.      I  have  answered  these  questions  above. 

"13.  He  was  purchasing  Agent  in  Europe  for  the  C.  S. 
Government,  and  a  blockade-runner.  He  was  very  successful, 
and  made  quite  a  number  of  entries  into  Wilmington,  N.  C, 
with  his  three  steamships,  'Virginia,'  'Coquette,'  and  'Giraffe.' 

"15.  He  was  very  decidedly  generous  and  liberal.  He 
cared  nothing  for  wealth  for  himself, — gave  away  as  fast  as 
he  made  money,  often  very  unwisely. 

"I  knew  Colonel  Finney  well.  All  I  know  about  his  connection 
with  Colonel  Ficklin  is  that  they  were  great  friends,  and  that 
Colonel  Finney  was  perhaps  better  acquainted  with  Colonel 
Ficklin's  business  than  Colonel  Ficklin's  own  brother,  till  Colonel 
Finney  married  and  moved  to  South  Carolina." 

It  will  be  observed  that  Major  Ficklin  did  not  answer  query 
No.  14  in  this  letter;  but  it  is  answered  in  his  second  letter,  dated 
July  9,  1910,  as  follows  (letter  written  from  San  Antonio,  Texas): 
"I  have  been  here  two  weeks,  and  most  of  the  time  too  sick  to  get 
out;  but  I  have  made  some  inquiries  to  find  some  one  who  could 
start  me  right  on  my  road  to  learn  about  Colonel  Ficklin's  con- 
nection with  the  opening  up  of  the  West  Texas  wilds,  around  old 
Fort  Conchio;  but  so  far,  I  have  not  been  in  the  least  success- 
ful. ...  I  remember  now  that  Colonel  Ficklin  severed  his  con- 
nection with  both  Stage  and  Pony  Lines  in  1859,  and  had  a  law- 
suit of  some  kind  against  the  Company  (both  Lines  under  same 
management)  about  his  interest;  and  I  remember  his  brother 
(Slaughter  W.  Ficklin)  told  me  the  Company  had  offered  Colonel 
Ficklin  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  he  refused  it.  War  came  on, 
and  I  do  not  think  Colonel  Ficklin  ever  got  one  cent  out  of  it. 

"Colonel  Ficklin  put  on  Pony  Expresses  here  in  Texas,  and  I 
think  one  Line  was  from  here  to  Fort  Conchio ;  and  that  is  the  trail 


35 


546  The  Military  History  of 

I  am  trying  to  strike.  I  want  to  pick  up  some  old  rider,  or  driver, 
and  get  his  narrative,  and  any  information  that  would  be  of  interest. 
I  have  thought  of  going  to  Fort  Sam  Houston  (located  here)  to 
see  if  I  could  get  the  names  of  any  officers  (who  might  still  be  liv- 
ing) who  were  at  Conchio  from  about  1868  to  1870." 

This,  then,  was  his  occupation  after  the  War,  till  his  death — 
operating  Stage  Lines  in  Texas,  in  connection  with  his  brother,  Mr. 
Slaughter  W.  Ficklin.* 

Besides  possibly  serving  in  the  Western  Virginia  Campaign 
until  some  time  in  1862,  Colonel  Ficklin  fought  with  conspicuous 
gallantry  as  a  staff  officer  in  the  battle  of  Malvern  Hill,  in  the  early 
summer  of  1862.  But  his  greatest  services  to  the  Confederate 
Government  were  as  Purchasing  Agent  in  Europe  and  Blockade 
Runner,  buying,  and  bringing  across  the  seas,  much-needed  military 
supplies,  from  1862  to  the  end  of  the  War. 

Brave  old  Colonel  Norborne  Berkeley  (his  classmate)  mentioned 
two  incidents  showing  Ficklin's  love  of  fun.  He  said:  "I  will  never 
forget  Ben  Ficklin  (mischievous  Ben).  Our  12-pounder  was  left 
one  night  outside  the  Arsenal,  the  muzzle  pointing  directly  to  the 
window  over  mv  bed.  Sometime  in  the  night,  Ben  touched  her 
off,  and  I  was  literally  covered  up  with  glass.  Another  time,  several 
of  our  Class  were  in  the  gun-house  making  rockets  for  'the  Fourth,' 
when  Ben,  passing  by,  couldn't  resist  touching  off  a  squib;  and  if 
old  Tom  hadn't  come  quickly  with  two  buckets  of  water,  Sam 
Garland,  who  was  rehearsing  his  oration  in  the  Hall  just  over  us, 
would  have  taken  a  flight  even  higher  than  his  eloquent  speech 
carried  him  later." 

Colonel  Ficklin's  niece,  the  cultivated  Mrs.  J.  J.  King,  and  the 
last  survivor  of  his  family,  wrote:  "You  know,  of  course,  that 
Uncle  Ben  left  the  Institute  unceremoniously ,  on  account  of  one 
of  his  numerous  pranks  (I  believe  firing  a  cannon  at  midnight). 

"He  enlisted  in  the  Mexican  War  in  which  he  served  until  its 
close;  when,  returning  through  Lexington,  he  met  General  Smith, 
who  reinstated  him  on  his  own  responsibility,  merely  exacting  the 
promise  that  he  would  get  no  more  demerits,  which  promise  was 
kept.  But  since  those  of  his  earlier  life  were  registered  against 
him,  and  were  by  no  means  few,  he  graduated  (I  think)  next  to  the 
lowest  in  his  Class.  Of  course,  all  who  knew  him  were  on  the 
qui  Vive  to  see  how  one  of  his  talent  would  deport  himself  under 
such  a  humiliation.  He  gratified  their  curiosity  by  placing  his 
diploma  on  the  point  of  his  bayonet  and  marching  out  of  the  Hall." 
Mrs.  King  says  that  after  leaving  Abingdon  (after  graduating), 
he  taught  (she  thinks)  for  awhile  in  the  North;  and  that  there  is 
a  story  that  he  was  in  an  abolitionist  centre;  and  that  on  learning 

*We  know  that  Colonel  Ficklin  established  these  lines  In  Texas,  after  the 
War,  for  we  are  told  that  his  friend  and  old  V.  M.  I.  comrade,  Colonel 
Briscoe  G.  Baldwin,  went  there  to  assume  charge  of  the  Lines,  but  upon 
arriving,   learned  of  Ficklin's  sudden  death   In   Georgetown,   D.    C. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  547 

he  was  a  "suspect"  of  the  opposite  sentiments,  an  indignation  meet- 
ing was  held  which  he  himself  attended,  and  that  he  made  the  most 
eloquent  speech  of  the  evening  on  the  subject  of  "Abolition,"  taking 
care,  however,  "to  leave  town  early  the  next  morning."  She  con- 
tinues: "Just  before  the  War,  he  was  with  General  Albert  Sidney 
Johnston  on  the  plains — in  what  capacity  I  do  not  know,  and  at 
one  time  their  provisions  were  nearly  exhausted,  and  it  was  neces- 
sary to  send  into  British  America*  for  supplies.  At  a  'Council  of 
War'  an  appeal  was  made  to  some  men  to  undertake  the  expedition. 
For  a  long  time  no  response  was  made,  as  the  oldest  trapper  had 
said  no  one  could  return  alive  from  such  a  trip,  at  that  season- 
midwinter.  Finally,  Uncle  Ben  arose  and  said  he  would  undertake 
it,  if  he  could  select  six  men  to  accompany  him,  and  would  engage 
to  return  at  a  certain  time.  In  vain,  those  who  knew  the  country 
tried  to  dissuade  him.  I  wish  I  could  recall  all  the  adventures  as 
I  heard  related  by  him ;  but  the  only  thing  that  made  an  impression 
upon  my  young  mind  was  their  being  deprived  of  food  for  three 
days  when  they  were  forced  to  resort  to  mule  meat.  The  supplies 
were  finally  procured,  and  they  returned  to  camp,  a  few  days  late, 
— just  in  time  to  stop  the  departure  of  a  messenger  to  Washington 
to  report  the  party  as  dead. 

"He  was  the  originator  of  the  Pony  Express,  and  when  the 
first  rider  had  mounted  his  'white  pony,'  at  St.  Joseph,  and  was 
about  to  start,  Uncle  Ben  handed  him  a  twenty-five  cent  piece. 
Upon  being  asked  what  it  was  for,  he  replied,  'For  you  to  buy  a 
rope  and  hang  himself,  if  you  do  not  make  the  correct  time.'  He 
always  said  that  Monticello,  Jefferson's  residence,  should  belong 
to  the  State.  So,  when  it  was  confiscated,  during  the  War,  he 
bought  it  for  eighty  thousand  dollars,  and  was  having  it  repaired, 
before  presenting  it  to  the  State,  when  the  War  terminated  as  it 
did,  and  it  reverted  to  the  heirs  of  the  former  owner. 

"I  suppose  no  one  could  tell  the  amount  of  good  he  did  in 
helping  poor  young  men,  and  aiding  charitable  institutions.  I 
heard  that  a  Catholic  institution  in  Richmond  would  have  been 
compelled  to  close  its  doors,  during  the  War,  but  for  his  kindly 
aid  (and  he  not  of  the  Catholic  faith). 

"Although  so  much  of  his  life  was  passed  in  'roughing  it,'  and 
for  months  at  a  time  he  was  without  the  pale  of  civilization,  as  it 
were,  he  was  one  of  the  gentlest,  most  refined  men  I  ever  knew. 
His  voice  was  low  and  sweet,  and  he  was  fastidious  to  a  fault  in 
his  ideas  of  a  lady's  manners  and  dress.  He  never  married;  nor  do 
I  know  that  he  ever  had  any  serious  'affairs,'  though  he  frequently 
teased  my  sister  and  myself  by  telling  us  he  was  about  to  enlist 
in  the  married  state.  We  considered  him  our  special  property,  and 
did  not  wish  a  better  play-fellow  in  his  visits  to  us. 

•Not  British-America,  but  some  distant  Army  Port  in  the  United  States. 


548  The  Military  History  of 

"I  have  in  my  possession  a  passport  issued  by  Isaac  H.  Car- 
rington.  Provost  Marshal,  granting  him  permission  to  pass  at  will 
in  the  Confederate  States.'  ...  As  you  observe,  I  have  only 
jotted  down  incidents  in  his  life,  as  I  heard  them  in  my  youth,  and 
can  recall  in  my  old  age." 

It  seems  the  irony  of  fate  that,  after  braving  every  danger  of 
land  and  sea,  Colonel  Ficklin  should  die  from  getting  a  fish  bone  in 
his  throat,  at  the  home  of  a  friend  in  Georgetown,  D.  C,  but 
such  was  the  case.     His  death  occurred  on  March  12,  1871. 

Private  Anthony  Webster  Southall,  of  Amelia  County,  Vir- 
ginia, matriculated  in  1844,  and  remained  one  year.  He  was  in 
training  for  the  profession  of  law  when  war  was  declared  with 
Mexico,  and  against  the  wishes  of  his  family  he  left  the  Institute, 
and  joined  the  company  from  his  county  wliich  was  attached  to  the 
First  Virginia  Regiment. 

He  served  through  the  campaign,  but  ruined  his  health,  and  died 
soon  after  returning  home,  from  the  effects  of  his  severe  service 
in  Mexico. 

Anthony  Webster  Southall  was  a  son  of  Dr.  Phillip  T.  Southall, 
and  his  wife,  Elizabeth  Webster,  and  was  born  in  Prince  Edward 
County,  Virginia. 

Private  Charles  Everett  Carter,  of  Albemarle  County,  Vir- 
ginia. He  was  one  of  the  little  band  who  relieved  the  Public  Guard 
in  1839,  and  formed  the  first  Corps  of  Cadets.  His  father  was 
Dr.  Charles  W.  Carter  of  "Blenheim,"  and  his  mother  was  born 
Mary  Cocke,  daughter  of  Captain  James  Powell  Cocke,  of  the 
Revolutionary  War. 

He  left  the  Institute  after  one  year,  and  settled  on  a  plantation 
in  South  Carolina.  When  the  Mexican  War  broke  out,  he  volun- 
teered as  a  private  in  the  "Palmetto  Regiment"  from  South  Caro- 
lina. He  was  ill  with  fever  when  the  Army  entered  the  City  of 
Mexico,  and  died  a  few  days  afterwards,  November  5,  1847. 

He  is  said  to  have  been  a  gallant  soldier.  Through  the  kindness 
of  Colonel  Abram  Van  Buren,  his  remains  were  brought  back  to 
South  Carolina,  and  were  deposited  in  Trinity  Churchyard  at 
Columbia,  in  the  section  of  his  sister,  Mrs.  Singleton. 

Private  Reuben  G.  Ross,  of  Botetourt  County,  Virginia,  matricu- 
lated 1845.  He  was  born  in  Tennessee,  but  his  father,  Reuben 
Ross,  originally  of  Montgomery  County,  Virginia,  removed  to  Fin- 
castle,  from  which  place  the  son  was  entered  at  the  Institute.  His 
mother  was  Frances  Miller,  of  Fincastle.  The  Mexican  War  oc- 
curing  the  next  year,  he  volunteered  as  a  member  of  his  cousin's. 
Captain  Caldwell's,  company.  He  served  through  the  campaign. 
Afterwards,  he  became  a  civil  engineer,  and  was  employed  in  build- 
ing the  railroad  from  Petersburg  to  Lynchburg.     Later,  he  married 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  549 

an  heiress,  and  removed  to  St.  Charles,  Missouri,  where  he  engaged 
very  successfully  in  a  woolen  factory.  He  served  in  neither  Army 
during  the  Confederate  War.  After  the  War,  his  prosperity  waned, 
and  when  he  died,  about  1880,  he  left  only  a  moderate  estate. 

Colonel  Norborne  Berkley,  his  classmate,  said:  "Old  'Reub' 
was  the  bass  in  our  quartet.  The  last  thing  I  recollect  of  him,  his 
200  pounds  and  Matt  Cullen's  100  pounds  were  flying  down  the  hill 
in  front  of  Barracks  on  the  toboggan,  and  when  they  went  into  the 
sunken  road  at  the  foot  of  the  hill.  Dr.  Estill,  the  surgeon,  was 
sent  for  in  a  hurry." 

Private  Alexander  McNutt  McCorkle,  of  Rockbridge  County, 
Virginia.  In  1840  he  was  entered  at  the  Institute.  His  parents 
were  John  McCorkle  and  Sarah  Etchison  Cunningham,  of  Rock- 
bridge County,  and  he  was  the  eldest  of  their  twelve  children. 
His  paternal  great-grandfather  was  John  McCorkle,  who  was  an 
ensign  in  General  William  Smallwood's  Brigade,  and  was  killed  at 
the  battle  of  Cowpens,  and  buried  on  the  field. 

He  left  the  Institute  before  completing  the  course.  He  volun- 
teered for  the  Mexican  War,  and  was  assigned  to  regiment  in 

General  Taylor's  command,  near  Monterey,  and  died  in  the  service, 
a  short  time  afterwards,  from  the  effects  of  the  climate. 

We  have  thus  briefly  sketched  the  twenty-five  sons  of  the 
V.  M.  I.,  who  fought  in  the  Mexican  War.  They  were  all  worthy 
sons.  Three  of  them.  Carter,  McCorkle,  and  Munford,  never  saw 
again  their  native  land,  and  one  other  of  the  little  patriot  band, 
Southall,  died  soon  after  reaching  home,  from  the  effects  of  the 
hard  service  he  had  undergone  in  a  foreign  land.  Noble  martyrs, 
all !  The  casualties  amounted  to  sixteen  per  cent. ;  and,  if  we  con- 
sider the  deaths  of  Deyerle  and  Scott  to  have  been  due  indirectly 
to  their  arduous  military  service  in  Mexico — as  in  all  probability 
they  were — the  ratio  of  mortality  is  increased  to  twenty-four  per 
cent. 

Surely,  then,  with  the  records  of  these  twenty-four  comrades — 
among  the  earliest  cadets  of  the  Institute — before  us,  we  would  be 
false  to  their  sacred  memories,  and  recreant  to  our  duty,  if  we 
failed  in  this  history  to  pay  them  the  homage  of  praise  and  ad- 
miration which  is  justly  their  due. 


550  The  Military  History  of 


APPENDIX  J 

PREPARED    BY    JOS.    R.    ANDERSON. 

V.  M.  I.   IN  THE  REGULAR  ARMY  AND  NAVY,  BEFORE 

1861 

Previously  to  the  War  of  1861-65,  there  were  twenty-two  V.  M. 
I.  Graduates  and  Eleves  in  the  regular  Military  Establishment  of 
the  United  States.* 

In  the  Army,  were  the  following  commissioned  officers,  to  wit: 

Captain    Arthur    Campbell    Cummings,    of    Virginia, 
Captain  Richard  Carlton  Walker  Radford,  of  Virginia, 
Captain  John  Addy  Thompson,  of  Ohio, 
Captain  Briscoe  Gerard  Baldwin,  of  Virginia, 
Brevet  Captain  Daniel  Smith  Lee,  of  Virginia, 
Brevet  Captain  Hamilton  Leroy  Shields,  of  Virginia, 
Surgeon  Charles  Peter  Deyerle,  of  Virginia, 
First  Lieutenant  Birkett  Davenport  Fry,  of  Virginia, 
First  Lieutenant  James  Edwin  Slaughter,  of  Virginia, 
First  Lieutenant  Andrew  Jackson,  of  Virginia, 
First  Lieutenant  Edwin  James  Harvie,  of  Virginia, 
First  Lieutenant  John  Thomas  Goode,  of  Virginia, 
First  Lieutenant  Walter  Jones,  of  District  of  Columbia, 
First  Lieutenant  John   Robinson   Waddy,  of  Virginia, 
P'irst     Lieutenant     (Assistant     Surgeon)      Archibald     Magill 
Fauntleroy,  of  Virginia, 

Second  Lieutenant  Isaac  Williams  Smith,  of  Virginia, 
Second  Lieutenant  William  Fitzhugh  Lee,  of  Virginia, 
Second  Lieutenant  Francis  Mallory,  of  Virginia. 

In  the  Navy,  were  the  following  officers,  to  wit: 

Passed  Assistant  Surgeon  Marcellus  Palmer  Christian,  of 
Virginia, 

**Acting  Lieutenant  Henry  St.  George  Hunter,  of  Virginia, 
Paymaster  Richard  Harcourt  Sinton,  of  Virginia, 
Paymaster  George  Harrison  Ritchie,  of  Virginia. 

Brief  sketches  of  Cummings,  Radford,  D.  S.  Lee,  Shields, 
Deyerle,  Fry,  Slaughter,  Jackson,  and  Smith,  will  be  found  in  the 

*A  separate  appendix  is  devoted  to  Alumni  in  tlie  regular  Army,  and  the 
Volunteers,  wtio  served  in  the  War  with  Mexico. 

•♦His  vounger  brother,  also  an  Old  Cadet,  served  as  lieutenant  in  the 
Mexican  War,  and  afterwards  as  lieutenant  in  Cortez's  Army  in  Cuba,  and 
was  killed  In  the  latter's  expedition. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  551 

chapter  entitled,  "The  Institute's  Contribution  to  the  Mexican 
War,"  and  one  of  Thompson  in  the  chapter  entitled,  "  Graduates 
and  Eleves  in  the  Union  Army,  During  the  War,"  found  in  this 
book. 

Below,  we  give  brief  sketches  of  the  others  mentioned  above. 

Briscoe  Gerard  Baldwin  was  graduated  in  the  Class  of  ]848. 
Three  years  before,  he  and  his  twin-brother,  James  W.  Baldwin, 
had  entered  the  Institute  together.  Their  father  was  Briscoe  G. 
Baldwin,  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Appeals  of  Virginia,  an 
officer  of  the  War  of  1812,  and  subsequently  Major-General  of  the 
Virginia  Militia,  several  times  a  member  of  the  General  Assembly, 
and  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  Virginia.  Their 
mother  was  Martha  Steele  Brown,  daughter  of  Frances  Peyton, 
and  granddaughter  of  Colonel  Harry  Peyton,  of  Westmoreland 
County,  Virginia  (the  gallant  Revolutionary  soldier  who  lost  his 
five  sons  in  that  struggle)  ;  and,  through  her,  these  old  cadets  were 
direct  descendants  of  Alfred's  line  of  English  Kings.  An  older 
brother  was  the  distinguished  John  Briscoe  Baldwin,  member  of 
the  Virginia  Convention  of  1861,  and  Colonel  of  the  5 2d  Virginia 
Infantry,  C.  S.  A.  The  wife  of  the  Hon.  A.  H.  H.  Stuart  was 
their  sister,  as  was  Mrs.  James  M.  Ranson,  of  Staunton,  Virginia. 

For  a  year  after  graduating,  Briscoe  G.  Baldwin  served  as 
private  secretary  to  the  Hon.  A.  H.  H.  Stuart,  Secretary  of  the 
Interior,  under  President  Fillmore.  With  his  brilliant  intellect, 
he  was  active  in  originating  and  promoting,  personally  and  with  his 
trenchant  pen,  some  of  the  salutary  measures  of  that  administra- 
tion. 

In  October,  1851,  he  accepted  a  commission,  tendered  by  the 
President,  in  the  regular  Army,  and  was  stationed  on  the  Pacific 
Coast.  After  seeing  some  service  in  the  West,  the  outbreak  of 
hostilities  in  1861  found  him  in  command  of  the  Arsenal  at  Augusta, 
Maine,  with  the  rank  of  captain.  Resigning  from  the  Army,  on 
the  action  of  his  State  Convention,  withdrawing  his  State  from  the 
Union,  he  made  his  way  through  the  lines  to  Richmond,  and 
tendered  his  services  to  Virginia  and  the  Confederacy. 

His  first  duty  was  in  charge  of  the  Arsenal  at  Richmond,  look- 
ing after  the  Army  ordnance  manufactured  at  the  Tredegar  Works, 
and  the  general  work  of  producing  and  repairing  small  arms  and 
other  munitions  of  war  for  the  troops  in  the  East.  Only  those 
familiar  with  the  conditions  at  the  time  can  realize  the  difficulties 
of  his  position.  But  Captain  Baldwin  won  high  praise  for  his 
zeal  and  success. 

In  the  spring  of  1862,  he  sought  more  congenial  service  in  the 
field;  and,  by  request  of  his  classmate,  Brigadier-General  R.  E. 
Rodes,  he  was  appointed  his  Assistant  Adjutant-General.  In  the 
battle  of  Seven  Pines,  he  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  magnificent 


552  The  Militaky  History  of 

charge  of  Rodes's  Brigade  which  carried  the  enemy's  fortifications 

with  heavy  loss.  j  n  •  u 

He  participated  actively  in  the  Seven  Days  battles  around  Rich- 
mond; and  in  the  last  day's  fighting  was  desperately  wounded 
by  a  shot  through  the  body,  penetrating  the  lungs,  while  leading 
a' charge,  mounted.  In  this  immediate  service  he  was  a  volunteer, 
the  regimental  field-ofiicers  having  been  killed.  Baldwin  was  left 
for  dead,  but  was  finally  found  by  some  of  the  regiment,  and,  as 
soon  as  practicable,  was  taken  to  Staunton.  There,  he  lay  for 
weeks  between  life  and  death,  but  was  nursed  back  to  strength  by 
the  tender  ministrations  of  devoted  women. 

He  soon  received  promotion  as  major  of  ordnance,  and  soon 
thereafter,  in  acknowledgment  of  distinguished  service,  he  was 
appointed  Chief  of  Ordnance  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia, 
ranking  at  first  as  lieutenant-colonel,  and  from  the  fall  of  1862 
to  the  surrender,  he  was  one  of  the  staff,  and  immediate  military 
family,  of  General  Robert  E.  Lee,  having  in  charge  (besides  his 
other  duties)  the  Secret  Department  of  the  Army  and  the  move- 
ments of  Scouts  within  the  enemy's  lines.  At  the  time  of  the  sur- 
render, his  rank  was  Colonel  of  Ordnance. 

From  the  effects  of  his  wound  he  never  recovered,  though  he 
lived  out  his  three  score  and  ten  years.  He  was  more  or  less 
a  sufferer  to  the  end  of  his  life,  and  subject,  at  times,  to  great 
depression  of  spirits. 

After  surrendering  with  his  beloved  commander,  he  went  to 
Richmond,  and  took  charge  of  the  Southern  business  of  the  National 
Express  and  Transportation  Company.  Upon  the  failure  of  that 
enterprise,  he  spent  some  time  in  Lynchburg  and  Staunton,  in  no 
condition  of  health  for  active  pursuits. 

In  1870,  he  set  out  for  Texas,  to  take  charge  of  the  Stage 
Lines  established  there  by  his  friend,  an  old  V.  M.  I.  comrade. 
Colonel  Benjamin  F.  Ficklin.  But  when  he  reached  Texas  he 
learned  of  Ficklin's  sudden  death.  (See  his  sketch  herein).  He 
was  stranded,  and  rather  than  accept  help  from  relatives,  he  under- 
went for  some  time  the  hardships  and  exposure  incident  to  herding 
cattle  for  ranchers  on  the  Brazos  River.  Later,  he  was  made 
Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  and  went  to  live  at  Bryan, 
Texas.  There,  he  died,  after  a  brief  illness,  on  the  28th  of 
September,  1898. 

At  his  death,  such  honor  was  done  him  as  falls  to  few.  His 
remains  lay  in  state  in  the  City  Hall;  the  Court  adjourned,  and 
schools  and  business  were  suspended.  Floral  tributes,  a  military 
escort,  and  funeral  salutes  were  accorded  this  distinguished  man 
who  had  but  a  few  short  years  before  come  among  the  people  of 
Bryan  a  total  stranger,  a  poor  and  broken-down  Confederate 
soldier.  And  two  years  after  his  death,  there  was  erected  to  his 
memory  by  the   Daughters   of  the   Confederacy,  of   Texas,  in  the 


The  Vieginia  Militaey  Institute  553 

presence  of  a  large  concourse,  and  with  imposing  ceremonies,  a 
stately  marble  shaft,  dedicated,  and  with  eloquent  and  touching 
address  by  a  gifted  son  of  Texas,  Judge  Norman  J.  Kittrell  who 
said,  in  part, — 

"Here  was  a  brave  man  broken  in  health  and  fortune,  his 
cherished  hopes  shattered,  and  his  loftiest  aspirations  disappointed, 
yet  holding  to  the  faith  of  his  fathers,  and  preserving  untarnished 
the  honor  of  a  gentleman.  The  tides  of  adversity  may  overwhelm 
and  the  storms  of  life  beat  upon  him,  but  no  power  can  bend  such 
an  one  from  the  perpendicular  of  a  proud,  upright  and  courageous 
manhood. 

•  •■••■•a 

"He  was  the  friend  and  associate,  and  possessed,  as  a  soldier 
and  a  man,  the  confidence  of  one  who  within  himself  was  the  em- 
bodiment of  every  human  virtue ;  who  was  the  noble  scion  of  a 
knightly  race,  a  gifted  soldier,  unselfish  patriot  and  Christian 
gentleman,  the  peerless  and  proudest  product  of  the  ages ;  and, 
when  by  word  and  deed,  Robert  E.  Lee  manifested  his  confidence 
in,  and  regard  for,  the  soldier  who  laid  down  life's  burdens,  on  this 
spot,  then  was  Briscoe  G.  Baldwin  avouched  unto  posterity  as 
worthy  of  trust  and  admiration  in  life  and  of  the  loftiest  honors 
in  death." 

In  personal  appearance.  Colonel  Baldwin  was  a  notable  figure, 
standing  over  six  feet,  erect  and  stately  in  bearing,  and  every 
inch  a  soldier.  He  was  chivalrous  in  every  impulse  of  his  nature, 
and  generous  to  a  fault.  Disappointed  in  love  in  early  life,  he 
never  married. 

Edwin  James  Harvie  was  graduated  in  the  Class  of  1855;  but, 
before  graduating,  on  March  3,  1855,  was  appointed  second  lieu- 
tenant, 9th  Infantry,  U.  S.  Army.  On  July  1,  1857,  he  was  pro- 
moted to  first  lieutenant,  and  served  till  March  15,  1861,  when  he 
resigned  to  enter  the  Confederate  States  service,  in  which  he  at- 
tained great  distinction  as  Colonel  and  Inspector-General  of  Gen- 
eral Joseph  E.  Johnston's  Army. 

Colonel  Harvie  described  himself  when  he  said  of  General 
Johnston — that  "he  was  a  Virginian  by  birth  and  education  and 
a  gentleman  by  the  grace  of  God."  He  was  a  son  of  Colonel 
Lewis  E.  Harvie — one  of  the  most  distinguished  citizens  of  Vir- 
ginia, who  was  president  of  the  old  Richmond  and  Danville  Rail- 
road Company,  during  the  War,  and  for  many  years  before. 

In  a  beautiful  tribute  to  this  dear  "Old  Cadet,"  Senator  Money 
of  Mississippi  said, — "He  was  a  man  of  singular  purity  of  char- 
acter ;  he  never  stopped  to  consider  whether  anything  would  appear 
honest  or  dishonest,  noble  or  ignoble,  honorable  or  dishonorable; 
he  instinctively  did  what  a  gentleman  should  do,  and,  with  an  ex- 
ceedingly fine  perception  of  duty,  lie  naturally  perceived  and  per- 


554  The  Military  History  of    " 

formed  all  duties.  In  mind  and  speech,  he  was  as  delicate  as  a 
woman.  .  .  .  He  had  a  woman's  sympathy,  and  his  great  heart 
was  troubled  by  the  distresses  all  around  him. 

"I  have  thus  compared  him  to  woman,  because  there  is  no  higher 
standard  of  excellence,  and  because  he  was  so  much  better  than 
the  men  I  have  known.  The  gentle  warrior  fought  fifty-four 
battles  for  the  South,  and  at  every  moment  of  his  splendid  service, 
he  believed  that  he  could  not  do  otherwise. 


"He  married  Miss  Edmonia  Meade,  who  was  of  old  Virginia 
stock,  known  all  over  the  South  for  domestic  and  social  virtues. 
She  died  when  his  four  children  were  not  grown,  and  he  was  both 
father  and  mother  to  them,  their  guiding  companion,  and  their 
idol,  and  he  gave  to  them  a  life  of  devotion." 

Until  a  few  years  before  his  death,  he  was  employed  in  the 
"Confederate  Records"  Division  of  the  United  States  War  Depart- 
ment, and  his  services  were  most  valuable. 

No  Alumnus  exceeded  him  in  loyalty  to,  and  love  for,  his  Alma 
Mater,  and  his  Alma  Mater  never  had  a  worthier  son. 

John  Thomas  Goode  was  matriculated  in  1854,  but  resigned 
after  one  year  to  enter  the  Army.  On  June  18,  1855,  he  was  ap- 
pointed second  lieutenant,  4th  Artillery.  On  June  10,  1857,  he 
was  promoted  first  lieutenant  and  served  as  such  until  July  3,  1861, 
when  he  resigned  to  enter  the  Confederate  Army  in  which  he 
served  throughout  the  War  with  great  gallantry.  He  was  colonel 
of  the  34th  Virginia  Infantry,  Wise's  Brigade,  and  the  last  year 
of  the  War  commanded  his  brigade,  while  General  Wise  commanded 
a  division. 

Colonel  Goode  was  a  brave  Indian  fighter  in  the  old  Army,  and 
endured  great  hardships.  When  the  clouds  of  Civil  War  threatened 
the  South,  he  traveled  thousands  of  miles  across  the  continent  (with 
his  wife  and  two  children,  and  with  only  one  other  man  in  his 
party),  to  share  the  fortunes  of  his  native  State  in  the  impending 
crisis. 

Colonel  Goode  was  the  son  of  the  Honorable  William  O.  Goode, 
who  represented  his  district  in  Congress  for  many  years. 

Colonel  Goode  is  still  living  on  his  farm  in  Mecklenburg  County, 
Virginia.  He  has  represented  his  county  in  the  House  of  Delegates, 
since  the  War;  and  was  really  elected  to  Congress,  but,  because  of 
some  technicality,  he  was  not  given  his  seat.  He  was  married  four 
times,  and  has  a  number  of  children,  one  of  whom  (now  dead)  was 
a  cadet  at  the  Institute. 

Walter  Jones  was  a  son  of  Major-General  Roger  Jones,  Ad- 
jutant-General of  the  U.  S.  Army,  and  his  wife,  Mary  Anne  Mason 
Page,  whose  mother  was  a  sister  of  "Light  Horse"  Harry  Lee. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  555 

He  entered  the  Institute  in  1849,  and  resigned  in  1852.  For 
three  years,  he  served  in  the  United  States  Coast  Survey,  and 
under  William  Mahone,  in  the  construction  of  the  Norfolk  &  Peters- 
burg Railroad.  On  June  30,  1855,  he  received  the  appointment  of 
second  lieutenant  in  the  1st  Infantry.  On  October  31,  1857,  he 
was  promoted  to  first  lieutenant  of  the  3d  Infantry,  in  which  he 
served  till  May  10.  1861,  when  he  resigned  to  enter  the  Con- 
federate Army. 

He  was  assigned  by  the  Secretary  of  War  as  quartermaster  at 
Lynchburg,  Virginia,  preparing  and  equipping  troops  for  the  field. 
He  was  then  appointed  to  the  staff  of  General  Walker,  in  Missis- 
sippi, as  major,  and  at  the  time  of  the  surrender  he  was  commander 
of  the  post  at  Montgomery,  Alabama.  He  married  Mrs.  M.  Brooks, 
of  Mobile,  Alabama,  in  1863.  Of  the  three  sons  born  to  them,  only 
one,  Brooks  Jones,  is  now  living. 

Major  Jones  died  at  his  home  in  Mobile,  in   1875. 

John  Robinson  Waddy  was  graduated  in  1853.  He  then 
taught  for  several  years.  On  the  recommendation  of  Governor 
Henr}'  A.  Wise  and  Major  (afterwards  Lieutenant-General) 
Thomas  J.  Jackson,  he  was  appointed,  on  February  21,  1857, 
second  lieutenant  of  the  4th  Artillery.  He  was  promoted,  February 
4,  1861,  first  lieutenant.  He  resigned,  July  20,  1861,  to  cast  his 
fortunes  with  his  native  State,  in  the  pending  struggle  for  consti- 
tutional liberty. 

He  served  under  various  commanders  as  adjutant-general,  and 
ordnance  and  artillery  officer ;  becoming,  finally,  colonel  of  artillery, 
surrendering  with  Johnston's  Army. 

He  lived  on  his  farm  in  Northampton  County  Virginia,  after 
the  War,  for  a  few  years,  and  then  removed  to  New  York,  in  which 
city  he  engaged  in  business  till  1877.  He  returned  then  to  Vir- 
ginia, and  again  engaged  in  farming  for  five  years ;  after  which 
he  removed  to  Norfolk,  where  he  was  a  prominent  figure.  After 
serving  as  inspector-in-chief  of  export  grain  for  the  Norfolk  and 
Western  Railroad  Company  till  1898,  he  was  appointed  post- 
master of  Norfolk,  and  served  with  the  greatest  satisfaction  to  the 
people  and  the  government  until  his  death,  February  10,  1908. 
He  married  Miss  Ella  George  Fitchett,  of  Northampton  County, 
Virginia,  who  preceded  him  to  the  grave.  Eight  children  were 
born  to  them,  of  whom  five  daughters  and  two  sons  survive. 

Archibald  Magill  Fauntleroy  was  graduated  in  1857.  He 
was  the  son  of  Colonel  Thomas  Turner  Fauntleroy,  of  the  United 
States  Army  (later  Brigadier-General  in  C.  S.  A.),  and  his  wife, 
Ann  Magill. 

After  graduating  at  the  Institute,  he  studied  medicine  at  the 
University  of  Virginia  and  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  re- 
ceiving the  degree  of  M.   D.   from  the  last-named  institution.     On 


556  The  Military  History  of 

June  23,  1860,  he  was  appointed  assistant  surgeon  in  the  United 
States  Army,  which  position  he  resigned,  on  May  9,  1861,  to  enter 
the  Confederate  service.  He  was  surgeon  on  the  staff  of  General 
Joseph  E.  Johnston;  afterwards,  medical  director  of  North  Caro- 
lina; and,  at  the  close  of  the  War,  he  was  medical  director  of  the 
Valley  of  Virginia. 

After  the  War,  he  was  elected  Superintendent  of  the  Western 
Insane  Asylum,  at  Staunton,  Virginia,  where  he  served  with  great 
distinction  till  his  death,  June  19,  1886.  He  was  at  one  time  Presi- 
dent of  the  Virginia  Medical  Society,  and  was  the  author  of  several 
monographs  on  medical  subjects.  He  was  a  noted  surgeon  during 
the  War,  and  made  a  great  reputation  by  his  "Hip  joint  operation."* 
When  he  died,  he  was  among  the  most  distinguished  Alienists  of 
this  country. 

Dr.  Fauntleroy  married  Sallie  Conrad,  daughter  of  the  Hon. 
Robert  Y.  Conrad,  of  Winchester,  Virginia,  who  died  in  1908, 
leaving  four  daughters  and  four  sons. 

William  Fitzhugh  Lee  was  graduated  in  the  Class  of  1853. 
He  was  a  son  of  the  Reverend  William  F.  Lee,  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  in  Virginia, — a  man  noted  for  his  piety  and  usefulness,  and 
his  wife,  Mary  Catherine,  daughter  of  William  Chilton,  of  Lees- 
burg,  Virginia,  and  sister  of  General  R.  H.  Chilton,  C.  S.  A. 

On  June  30,  1855,  he  received  a  commission  of  second  lieutenant 
in  the  Second  Infantry  which  he  held  until  April  30,  1861,  when 
he  resigned  and  entered  the  Confederate  Army.  He  was  first  ap- 
pointed captain,  and,  soon  afterwards,  was  commissioned  lieutenant- 
colonel  of  the  33d  Virginia  Infantry.  At  First  Manassas,  he  fell 
mortally  wounded,  and  died  eight  days  afterwards,  July  29,  1861. 
He  was  a  gallant  officer  and  noble  gentleman.  "He  had  lived  a 
soldier  and  a  Christian;  he  died  proudly  vindicating  his  title  to 
the  former,  and,  through  faith  in  his  Saviour,  humbly  trusting  that 
he  was  the  latter."  His  aged  widow  was  still  living  a  few  years 
ago.  His  only  daughter,  who  married  Colonel  William  A.  Simpson, 
U.  S.  A.,  died  in  1895,  leaving  four  children,  who  were  raised  by 
Mrs.  Lee ;  two  of  these  grandchildren  of  Colonel  Lee  are  now 
faithfully  serving  their  country,  as  he  did,  one  in  the  Army  and  th€ 
other  in  the  Navy. 

Francis  Mallory  was  graduated  in  1853.  He  was  a  son  of 
Dr.  Francis  Mallory,  and  his  wife,  Mary  F.  Wright,  of  Norfolk 
and  Hampton,  Virginia.  Dr.  Mallory  gave  up  his  profession,  after 
a  few  years,  and  devoted  himself  to  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
represented  his  district  in  Congress,  and  again  returning  to  Nor- 
folk, represented  that  city  in  the  State  Legislature. 

The  father  of  Dr.  Mallory  was  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Virginia 
in  1812.     The  family  is  descended  from  Roger  Mallory,  who  left 

♦See  Records  of  the  Rebellion. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  557 

England  during  the  Civil  War,  and  settled  in  King  and  Queen 
County,  Virginia,  and  has   always   been  distinguished. 

Francis,  the  subject  of  this  brief  sketch,  was  an  assistant 
engineer  under  William  Mahone  (V.  M.  I.),  Chief  Engineer  of 
the  Norfolk  and  Petersburg  Railroad,  for  three  years,  after  leaving 
the  Institute.  On  June  27,  1856,  he  was  appointed  second  lieu- 
tenant in  the  Army,  and  assigned  to  the  4th  Infantry.  He  resigned 
his  commission,  July  10,  1861,  to  enter  the  Confederate  Army. 

For  five  years  he  had  been  in  active  service  at  Forts  Vancouver, 
Cascades,  and  Walla-Walla,  in  Oregon  and  Washington  Terri- 
tories, suppressing  the  outrages  of  the  Indians,  and  thus  gained 
a  valuable  experience  in  warfare.  He  won  the  confidence  and 
affection  of  his  brother-officers,  who  bore  the  most  cordial  and 
unequivocal  testimony  to  the  thoroughness  and  efficiency  of  his 
military  training.  He  shrank  from  no  danger,  or  difficulty,  and 
courted  adventure. 

When  he  saw  Civil  War  threatening,  he  wrote  his  devoted 
mother, — "Although  my  arm  is  but  that  of  one  man,  I  feel  a  giant 
heart  within  me,  and  would  strike  no  mean  blow  in  the  defense  of 
our  homes  and  the  honor  of  our  glorious  old  State.  I  consider  it 
is  as  much  my  duty  to  side  with  my  State  against  all  enemies,  as 
I  would  to  defend  and  protect  you,  my  dear  mother,  from  the 
whole  world,  right  or  wrong.  Should  I  fall  in  the  defense  of  my 
mother,  or  my  State,  the  only  regret  would  be  that  I  had  not  a 
hundred  lives  to  offer,  instead  of  one."  And  his  biographer  adds, — 
"Such  a  sentiment  is  the  key  of  the  whole  man,  since  he  who  could 
pen  it,  and  then  die  in  its  support,  possessed  all  the  elements  of 
true  manhood  and  greatness !" 

This  noble  young  officer,  while  colonel  of  the  55th  Virginia 
Infantry,  survived  the  perils,  and  shared  the  glories,  of  Cedar 
Run,  Second  Manassas,  Harper's  Ferry,  Sharpsburg,  and  Fred- 
ericksburg; but,  alas,  when  so  full  of  promise,  he  fell  at  Chancel- 
lorsville.  May  2,  1863.  His  distinguished  nephew  and  namesake 
has  held  for  years  an  important  chair  at  the  Institute,  and  is 
worthy  of  the  high  name  he  bears. 

Marcellus  Palmer  Christian  was  graduated  in  the  Class  of 
1852.  His  parents  were  Henry  A.  Christian,  and  his  wife,  Susan 
Palmer.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Henry  Christian,  was  a  captain 
in  the  Revolutionary  War. 

He  was  born  in  Appomattox  County,  Virginia,  in  1830,  but  his 
family  were  residents  of  Lynchburg  when  he  entered  the  Institute. 
After  graduating,  he  took  up  the  study  of  medicine,  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Virginia,  and  was  graduated  there  M.  D.  He  after- 
wards pursued  his  medical  studies  in  New  York  City. 

He  entered  the  United  States  Navy,  and  had  risen  to  the  rank 
of  passed  assistant  surgeon  in  1861,  when  he  resigned  and  tendered 


558  The  Militaky  History  of 

his  services  to  his  State  and  the  Confederacy.  He  was  appointed 
assistant  surgeon,  C.  S.  Navy,  July  18,  1861;  was  promoted  to 
passed  assistant  surgeon,  October  25,  1862,  and  became  surgeon 
before  the  War  ended. 


In  1862,  he  married  Nannie  R.  Davis,  daughter  of  Judge 
Mica  j  ah  Davis,  of  Bedford  City,  Virginia.  His  only  child 
died  young.  After  the  War  he  returned  to  Lynchburg  and  practised 
his  profession  in  that  City  until  his  death,  November  19,  1879. 
He  was  greatly  beloved. 

Henry  St.  George  Hunter  was  entered  at  the  Institute  in  1841 
by  his  devoted  sister,  Miss  Fannie  Washington  Hunter  (being  an 
orphan),  having  first  been  a  student  at  the  University  of  Virginia. 
He  was  the  eldest  son  of  Hon.  Moses  T.  Hunter,  of  Martinsburg, 
Virginia,  a  famous  lawyer  and  wit,  and  his  wife,  Mary  W.  Snicker. 

He  left  the  Institute  to  enter  the  Navy,  and  became  an  acting 
lieutenant.  He  was  an  ensign  with  Commander  Perry  when  he 
made  his  famous  treaty  with  Japan. 

The  following  beautiful  obituary  best  tells  the  story  of  his  life: 

"Died  on  board  the  United  States  Steamer,  Hancock,  near  Fou- 
chou-fou,  China,  on  the  2ith  of  September  last  (1854),  of  dysen- 
tery. Acting  Lieutenant  Henry  St.  George  Hunter,  United  States 
Navy,  in  the  30th  year  of  his  age. 

"Thus  early  has  fallen  one  whose  budding  promise  foretold  a 
life  of  professional  usefulness  and  honor.  In  the  language  of  a 
friend  and  brother  officer,  for  years  intimately  associated  with  him: 
'He  had  excellencies  of  head  and  heart,  as  fitted  to  win  admiration 
and  love  as  any  one  I  ever  knew.  He  was  a  fine  officer,  an  amiable 
and  interesting  companion,  a  true-hearted  gentleman.' 

"He  was  the  last  brother  whom  God  had  spared  to  the  grief- 
worn  hearts  of  his  sorrowing  sisters.  But  a  few  short  years  have 
passed  since  they  were  called  to  mourn  for  one  whose  bones  lie 
bleaching  upon  the  mountains  of  Cuba,  the  victim  of  a  high-souled, 
but  mistaken,  chivalry.*  Still  more  recently,  another  brother,  in 
the  freshness  of  his  young  life's  hope  and  promise,  met  a  sudden 
and  violent  death  by  accident  ;**  and  now,  before  time  has  mellowed 
and  soothed  the  bitterness  of  their  anguish,  across  the  broad  ocean 
is  borne  to  their  ears  the  sad  tidings  that  the  last  son  of  their 
house  and  name — the  last  brother  of  their  love — the  last  hope 
of  their  drooping  hearts— sleeps  his  last  sleep,  sadly  and  alone,  by 
the  dark  waters  of  a  distant  sea.  To  God  only  can  they  look  for 
strength  in  this  their  hour  of  threefold  gloom.     He  has  filled  the 

(See^sketch^her?toT'^^  ^'  ^'^^^^'  ^-  '^    ^-  »*  Cortez's  Army,  killed  in  Cuba, 

Hio/*/-   ^';o°'^e,  Hunter,    Civil   Engineer   on   Memphis   and   Charleston    Railroad, 
died  from  injuries  received  by  falling  from  a  car;  September  14,  1853. 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  559 

cup  of  their  sorrow  to  overflowing,  and  He  alone  can  strengthen 
and  sustain  them." 

[General  David  Hunter,  United  States  Army  (of  execrated 
memory),  was  a  first  cousin  of  Hon.  Moses  T.  Hunter  (father  of 
Cadets  Henry  St.  George  and  Beverly  T.  Hunter)  and  his  brother, 
Hon.  Andrew  Hunter,  both  of  Martinsburg,  Virginia.  In  his  diab- 
olism, he  burnt  the  residence  of  Hon.  Andrew  Hunter,  because 
he  was  a  Secessionist,  and  the  home  of  Hon.  Edmund  I.  Lee 
(cousin  of  General  Robert  E.  Lee,  and  uncle  of  Colonel  William 
Fitzhugh  Lee,  who  has  just  been  mentioned),  of  Shepherdstown. 
He  then  proceeded  on  his  path  of  deviltry,  and  next  burnt  the  Vir- 
ginia Military  Institute,  and  the  home  of  Ex-Governor  Letcher; 
and,  eighteen  miles  farther  on,  he  destroyed  the  beautiful  home 
of  Colonel  John  T.  Anderson,  another  "rabid  secessionist"  (whose 
only  child.  Major  Joseph  W.  Anderson,  Chief  of  Artillery  of 
Stevenson's  Division,  C.  S.  A.,  had  only  the  year  before  been 
killed,  near  Vicksburg),  giving  the  invalid  wife  but  five  minutes 
to  get  out  of  the  house. 

[On  one  occasion,  after  the  War,  "Vandal"  met  on  a  street,  in 
Washington,  the  two  young  granddaughters  of  Hon.  Moses  T. 
Hunter,  and  said,  "I  am  sorry  you  have  not  met  me  before,"  when 
the  brave  little  younger  sister  replied— "General  Hunter,  we  would 
rather  meet  the  Devil!"] 

Richard  Harcourt  Sinton  was  graduated  in  1847  "First  Dis- 
tinguished" in  his  Class,  with  Generals  Mahone  and  Wharton  as  two 
of  his  classmates.  He  was  born  at  his  father's  country  estate,  "The 
Grove,"  near  Richmond,  Virginia,  September  6,  1825.  His  parents 
were  Joseph  Sinton  (born  in  Ireland  in  1790),  and  his  wife,  Maria 
Davis  (widow,  nee  Price).     He  was  the  eldest  child. 

Immediately  upon  graduating,  he  received  an  appointment  as 
paymaster  in  the  United  States  Navy,  and  he  served  on  the  Frigate 
Brandywine  and  the  U.  S.  S.  Ohio.  He  arrived  in  California  in 
the  last-named  ship,  soon  after  the  Mexican  War,  and  then  re- 
signed his  commission.  In  association  with  General  Henry  M. 
Naglee  (U.  S.  A.,  retired),  of  Pennsylvania,  he  opened  the  first 
bank  in  San  Francisco. 

In  1856,  he  married  Elizabeth  Zabriskie,  daughter  of  Colonel 
James  C.  Zabriskie,  of  New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey.  Two 
children  were  born  to  them,  Lizzie  Zabriskie  (now  Mrs.  W.  D. 
Walker,  of  San  Francisco)  and  a  son  who  died. 

Until  1865,  he  continued  with  great  success  in  the  banking 
business,  amassing  great  wealth.  After  the  War  he  went  into  the 
real  estate  business,  in  which  he  continued  until  his  death,  July  18, 
1894. 

In  the  War  of  1861-65,  his  sympathies  were  with  the  South, 
but  he  took  no  part.     In  the  spring  of  1889,  the  Chairman  of  the 


560  The  Military  History  of 

V.  M.  I.  Semi-Centennial  Executive  Committee  received  the  follow- 
ing letter  from  this  old  comrade,  which  shows  the  "V.  M.  I.  spirit" 
still  animated  him,  after  forty-two  years: 

"Joseph  R.  Anderson,  Esq., 
"Chairman,  etc., 

"Richmond,  Va. 

"Dear  Sir — Your  resolve  to  have  a  Semi-Centennial  meeting 
of  Alumni  was  a  most  happy  inspiration,  and  I  hope  the  result 
will  be  a  great  success.  The  thought  of  treading  again  the  familiar 
and  loved  ground  of  the  dear  Alma  Mater  thrills  every  fibre  of  my 
body,  until  I  yearn  to  be  with  you  in  the  flesh,  in  July,  but  my 
engagements  are  such,  and  the  distance  so  great,  that  I  can  not 
spare  the  time,  albeit  the  gratification  would  be  so  great  and  dear  to 
my  heart.  I  have  written  to  my  dear  old  friend  and  classmate.  Gen- 
eral G.  C.  Wharton  (who  will  doubtless  be  with  you),  to  respond  for 
me  at  your  conclave. 

"Wishing  yourself  and  comrades  every  success, 

"I  am,  fraternally  yours, 

"R.    H.    SiNTON." 

George  Harrison  Ritchie  was  matriculated  in  September, 
1845.  He  was  a  son  of  Thomas  Ritchie,  of  the  old  Richmond 
Enquirer,  and  Virginia's  greatest  editor,  and  his  wife,  Isabella 
Foushee,  who  was  a  daughter  of  Dr.  William  Foushee,  a  native  of 
France,  who  became  an  eminent  citizen  of  Richmond.  Mr. 
Ritchie  had  moved  his  residence  to  Washington,  when  George  was 
entered  as  a  cadet.  Mr.  Ritchie  came  to  Richmond  during  the 
administration  of  the  elder  Adams,  and  began  his  editorial  labors 
towards  its  close.  Under  his  skillful  management,  the  Enquirer 
became  the  political  oracle,  not  only  of  Virginia  Democracy,  but 
of  that  of  the  South  and  Middle  West.  His  influence  upon  the 
mass  of  his  countrymen  was  a  power  such  as  is  seldom  acquired 
by  a  newspaper  man.  "He  made  and  unmade  statesmen."  Thus 
wrote  the  late  Judge  Beverley  T.  Wellford,  of  Richmond. 

George  H.  Ritchie  did  not  finish  the  course  at  the  Institute,  as 
he  was  ambituous  to  enter  the  Navy.  An  appointment  as  pay- 
master was  secured  for  him,  dated  April  1,  1853.  He  served  till 
April  29,  1861,  when  he  resigned  to  enter  the  Confederate  service. 
He  was  appointed  paymaster  in  the  C.  S.  Navy,  on  October  11, 
1861,  to  rank  from  March  1,  1861. 

After  the  War,  he  was  in  the  insurance  business,  in  Washington, 
D.  C,  till  his  death,  about  1870.     He  never  married. 

In  1861,  of  the  twenty-two  officers  sketched  above  (all  of  whom 
had  served  with  credit  and  honor  in  the  old  service), — three  had 


The  Virginia  Military  Institute  561 

died  in  the  line  of  duty;  one  (from  Ohio)  remained  in  the  United 
States  service ;  one  who  had  left  the  service  seven  years  before 
continued  to  reside  in  the  North,  but  did  not  reenter  the  Army; 
one  was  living  in  California  who  had  returned  to  his  native  State, 
Virginia,  but  once  since  his  graduation,  fourteen  years  before; 
and  sixteen  cast  their  fortunes  with  their  beloved  Southland;  and 
what  a  glorious  record  these  last  made !  Two  of  them  became  brig- 
adier-generals ;  nine,  colonels ;  one,  lieutenant-colonel ;  three, 
majors  (including  one  of  relative  naval  rank),  and  one,  captain — 
a  naval  officer  of  relative  army  rank;  and  two  (colonels)  were 
killed  in  battle! 

Of    all    these    twenty-two    sons,    the    old    mother    will    ever    be 
proud;  and  their  memories  will  ever  be  sacredly  cherished. 


36 


APPENDIX  K 

NOTE  ON  V.  M.  I.  CLAIM  FOR  LOSS  OF  PROPERTY  SUS- 
TAINED DURING  THE  WAR  BETWEEN  THE  STATES 

It  is  suggested  by  the  author  that,  in  the  event  the  present 
Congress  does  not  pass  the  bill  providing  for  the  reimbursement 
of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  for  the  loss  of  property  it  sus- 
tained during  the  War  between  the  States,  certain  evidence  be 
introduced  at  any  future  hearing  before  the  Committee  of  Claims, 
which  was  not  introduced  on  either  of  the  two  occasions  when  the 
claim  of  the  Institute  was  presented  in  the  past.  This  evidence  is, 
that  the  buildings  and  other  property  of  the  Citadel  Military 
Academy,  of  Charleston,  S.  C,  were  not  destroyed  when  captured 
by  General  Sherman  in  1865,  although  the  cadets  of  the  institution 
were  actually  engaged  in  resisting  under  arms  as  a  military  luiit 
the  advance  of  his  troops  at  the  very  time  the  property  was  seized, 
and  had  been  repeatedly  employed  during  the  War.  In  addition  to 
having  furnished  over  two  hundred  officers  to  the  Confederate 
States  Army,  the  Citadel  Military  Academy  is  said  to  have  been 
responsible  for  the  first  shot  of  the  War,  fired  at  Morris  Island, 
January  9,  1861,  upon  the  Star  of  the  West,  and  the  last  shot 
of  the  War,  fired  by  an  organized  body  of  troops  east  of  the 
Mississippi  River,  when  on  May  9,  1865,  the  cadets  of  the  Academy 
were  engaged  in  a  skirmish  with  General  Stoneman's  command  near 
Williamstown,  S.  C. 


INDEX 


PAGE 

Age,    of    Cadets    at    New    Mar- 
ket         330 

Almshouse,    Institute    reopened 

in     392 

description  of    406 

Alumni,  in  Mexican  War, 

Appendix  I 

in  U.  S.  Army Appendix  H,  J 

in  Foreign  Armies, 

Appendix  F,  G 
killed  and  died  in  service. 

Appendix  B 
Anderson,  Institute  baker,  negro 

slave    371 

his   remark  about   Hunter.  .  .   371 
Anderson,    Gen.    Jos.    R.,    pro- 
posed as  Superintendent    ...      39 

Anderson,  Col.  Jos.  E 9 

Arms,  at  Institute  in   1861    .  .  .    151 

of  Cadets    187,   292 

deficiency   of    240 

new  received    242 

Arsenal,  building  of  authorized     30 

cost   of   maintaining 41 

Artillery,   Confederate,   at  New 

Market 294,  304,  306, 

308,  310,  311,  314,  316,  320,  334 

Federal 304,  305,  309,  310,  311 

losses  at  New  Market 323 

drill  and  practice 187 

graduates   in 250 

instructors,  Cadets  as 145 

material  in  1863 240,  242 

Assistant       Professors,       roster 

of,    1842-1863    Appendix   C 

promoted    348 

rank  of    117,   154 

Atwill,    Cadet    Corporal,    killed 

New  Market    337 

Austrian  rifles,  of  Cadets    ....   292 
Averell,   Brig.-Gen.   W.   W.,  his 

first  raid    235 


PAGE 

Averell,   Brig.-Gen.   W.   W.,   his 

second  raid 254 

his  third  raid   273 

operations  of   353,  358,  365 

B  Battery,  5th  U.  S.  Artillery,  310 
protects    Sigel's    retreat 333 

Balcony  Falls,  Corps  goes  into 
position  at   358 

Barracks,  corner-stone  of  laid.  .      24 

improved  and  enlarged   67 

cost   of   new    93 

dedicated    94 

bombarded  by  du  Pont 356 

destroyed  by   fire 366,  369 

substitute   for    383-385 

Barry,  Gen.  W.  F.,  U.  S.  Army, 
returns  trophies   369 

Battalion  of  Cadets,  roster  of  at 
New  Market Appendix  A 

Battery,     Cadet,     presented     to 

Corps     60 

armament  of   292 

fires  first  hostile  shot   164 

Battle     of     Covington,     Cadets 

in   258,  259,  331 

of    McDowell 200 

part  of  Cadets  in 202 

of  New  Market 296.  et  seq. 

Beale,  W.  S.,  Cadet,  Color- 
Sergeant  receives  colors  in 
1842     51 

Bell,  Maj.-Gen.  J.  Franklin, 
presents  colors  to  Corps  in 
1909     59 

Berkeley,  Lieut.  Carter    333 

Bernard,  Simon,  commissioned 
in  U.  S.  Engineer  Corps  by 
Monroe;  his  career  and  serv- 
ices        27 

Bill  of  Rights,  section  concern- 
ing militia  102 

Board  of  Visitors,  the  first   ...      34 
conducts  examinations 49 


564 


Index 


PAGE 

Board  of  Visitors,  personnel  of, 

56,  61,  100 
decides    to    reopen    Institute 

in    1862    172 

review  before  in    1863    233 

Botts,  Gen.  Thos.  H.,  B.  V.    .  .      34 

Bowie,    Capt.   Walter    184 

Boykin,  Gen.  F.  M.,  B.  V.  ...  100 
Braxton,  Gen.  Corbin,  B.  V.  .  .  61 
Breckinridge,    Gen.,    his    orders 

received    288,  290 

his  plan  of  battle    299 

his    appearance     301 

his  tactics    303,  305 

threatened  with  defeat   312 

thanks  Corps  of  Cadets,  333,  341 

relieves    Corps    340 

moves   to   Lynchburg    358 

Brockenbrough,         .John         W.. 

speech    of     24,    63 

Brooke     Turnpike,     Cadets     in 

camp  on    348 

BroAvn,   .John,   his    raid    103 

his    trial     105 

his   execution    107 

Brownsburg,      Federals     march 

via   354 

Buckingham    Female    Institute,  383 

Buford's   Gap    376 

Bulow    20 

Bushong   House    312 

orchard    near     316 

Bushong's   Hill    298,   308,   316 

Federal   position   on    320 

Butler,   Gen.   B.   F 181 

operation   of    410 

Buttons,  Cadet   350 

Cabell,     Cadet     First-Sergeant, 

killed    312,   336.   337 

Cabins,  used  for  barracks, 

383,  384.  385 
Cadet  Battery,  at  New  Market, 

294,  304,   306,   307,   311 

in  Camp  at  Mt.  Airy   331 

ordered   to   Richmond 344 

horses    of    returned    348-49 


PAGE 

Cadet  Battery,  blows  up  bridge 

at  Lexington 355,  357 

Cadets,  first  appointed,  when..      41 

names  of  first   47 

in  Mexican  War   62 

from    other    States    first    re- 
ceived        124 

ordered  to  Camp  Lee    140 

left   in   Lexington   in    1861..    141 
in  Service  in  June,  1861 .  .  146,  150 

at  First  Manassas    165,   168 

not  exempt  from  service....    176 

in  Confederate  Armies   180 

number  of  in  1862 187 

in  Jackson's  Army 189 

at  Chancellorsville   211,  221 

desire  to  join  army 278 

entertained  in  Staunton   ....   295 
first   wounded   at  New   Mar- 
ket       308 

average  age  of  at  New  Mar- 
ket      330 

life  of  in  November,   1864...    388 

life  of  at  Almshouse   406 

Cambridge,   College    372 

Camp  of  1863    233 

"Camp  Lee,"  created   139 

work   of   Cadets    at    146-150 

prominent   visitors    to    150 

Cadets  at  in  1864   346,  385 

Campaigns   of   Cadets    ....331,   351 

Campbell,  Governor   35 

Carlin's     Battery      (West     Vir- 
ginia), 309,  311,  316,  320,  323,  327 

Carlisle,  J.  S.,  B.  V 61 

Carter,  Gen.  Wm.  H.,  his  sketch 

of  Crozet    28 

Carter's  Farm,  Cadets  in  camp 

at     349 

Cavalry,  at  Institute,  first  pro- 
posed         97 

again  recommended    ........   239 

Catawba  Valley 376 

Cemetery,   Cadet,   remains   in .  .    337 
Chancellorsville,  Cadets   at    ...   211 


Index 


565 


PAGK 

Charge,  the,  of  Corps  of  Cadets 

at   New   Market    320-323 

Charles    City    Road,    Cadets    in 

position  on 415 

Charleston    376 

Charles  Town    103 

Cadets  at   106 

Chew's   Battery    191 

Cincinnati,    Society    of,    its   en- 
dowment        54 

Citadel       Military       Academy, 

service  of   176 

( See  Appendix  K. ) 

Clarke,  Col.  Lyie,  30th  Va 304 

Clarkson,  Cadet    350 

Clausewitz    10 

Clinedinst,    B.    West,    '70,    his 
painting   of  New  Market, 

21,  22,  338 
Clinedinst,  Eliza  Catherine,  her 

conduct  at  New  Market .  .  .    338 

nurses  Cadets 339 

medal  given  to 339 

Clothing,  provided  for  Cadets .  .    342 
Cocke,   Gen.   Philip   St.   George, 

B.    V 56 

influence  of    57 

Commissioner    of   Public    De- 
fense        117 

death    and    services    of, 

186,  293,  397 

Cold  Harbor,  Battle  of    345 

College    Hill,    Lynchburg,    373 

Colonna,  B.  A.,  Cadet 9 

his  description  of  flag 59 

his      account     of     McDowell 

campaign    203 

Captain  in  Reserve  Forces.  .    392 
in      Foreign      Battalion      of 

S.    C 391 

Colors,   first   received  by   Corps 

in  1842   51 

new    set    presented    in    Rich- 
mond 1850   58 

description  of  white  flag   ...      59 
colors  presented  in   1909 ....      59 


PAGE 

Colors,  mistaken  in  battle 336 

new,      presented      in      Rich- 
mond        346 

Colston,     Major     R.     E.,     "Old 
Polly,"   orders    Corps   back 

to  barracks    132 

in    charge   of    camp    at   Nor- 
folk        154 

Professor   of   Strategj^    100 

Commission   of  Public   Defense,  117 
Confederate    Military    Schools, 

171,    175 
Confederate    Cadets,   appointed, 

185,  349,  388 
Confederate  Cavalry,  296,  308,  310 
Confederate     troops      at     New 

Market    303 

Confederate      losses      at      New 

Market    334 

Confederate    Congress,    Resolu- 
tions of  thanking  Cadets.  .  .  .    347 
Confederate     Officers,     Alumni, 

Appendix  E 
Conscription    Acts,    complaints 

against    175 

practical    exemption    of    Ca- 
dets       403 

Corps       of       Cadets,       original 

organization     48 

size  of   49 

visits  Richmond  in   1842    ...      50 

organization   in   1850    57 

visits   Richmond    as   Taylor's 

escort    57 

visits  Richmond  in  1858  ...  94 
ordered   to   Charles   Town   in 

1859     106 

visits  Richmond  in   1859    ...    114 
attempts    attack    on    Lexing- 
ton         129 

ordered  to  Camp  Lee   139 

in  1862 187 

ordered  to  Staunton.  ..  190,  200 
complimented  by  Jackson  .  .  .  203 
in  battle  of   McDowell    200 


5m 


Index 


PAGE 

Corps   of   Cadets,    inspected   by 

War  Dept.  in  1863 233 

Imnts    deserters    234 

in  Averell's  First   Raid 235 

size   of  in    1863    239 

in  Averell's  Second  Raid ....    256 
in  Battle  of   Covington    ....    258 

in  Averell's  Third  Raid   264 

Fitzlmgh   Lee   compliments.  .   274 
receives    flag    from    Rosser's 

Brigade     278 

visits  New  York  in  1883 281 

called  for  by  Imboden 284 

raises     flag     over     Jackson's 

grave 288 

receives  orders  from  Breckin- 
ridge        290 

ordered   into  battle    300 

taunted  by  veterans,  297,  301,  336 

arrival  on  field   302 

deploys    305 

strips   for   action    306 

enters    fight     307 

advance  of  in  battle 313 

in  front  line   315 

reaches   orchard    316 

suffers  great  losses    317 

the    charge     320,    323 

captures  guns    323 

influence  on  battle    324-325 

makes  prisoners   328 

average  age  of    330 

reformed  after  battle 333 

thanked       for       victory       by 

Breckinridge    333 

losses  of   335 

relieved     and     congratulated, 

339,   340 

ordered    to    Richmond     342 

honored    in    Richmond    346 

ordered  back  to  Lexington .  .    350 
receives    colors    from    Gover- 
nor        347 

in  position  at  Balcony  Falls,  358 
in     position     at     Lynchburg, 

373,  375 


PAGE 

Corps  of  Cadets,  return  to  Lex- 
ington       377 

furloughed    379 

ordered  to  report   384 

assigned  to  Reserve  Forces  of 

Va 386 

composition  of  m   November, 

1864     388 

receive      Confederate      priso- 
ners       389 

ordered  into  trenches 389 

in    Confederate    States    Serv- 
ice        390 

called  out  to  oppose  raiders,  411 

in  trenches  April,   1865 415 

disbandment    of    417 

Council   of  Defense    138 

Covington,  Battle  of 258,  331 

Cadets  engaged  in    259 

Crawford,  Thomas,  Sculptor ...      58 
Crim,   Mrs.   E.   C,  her   conduct 

at  New  Market    338 

nurses  Cadets    339 

Crittenden,   Capt.  Llewellyn    . .    184 
Crook,    Gen.,    his    orders.. 284,    352 
Crozet,  Claude,  comes  to  Ameri- 
ca           28 

his  career  29 

originates    idea    of    Institute     31 
President   of   Board    of   Visi- 
tors          34 

institutes  course  of  studies .  .      35 

orders  supplies    41 

Crump,  W.  W.,  B.  V 61 

Crutchfleld,  Stapleton    100 

Cutshaw,     Capt.     Wilfred     E., 

acting  Commandant  1863.  .    233 

ordered  to  rejoin  army 238 

Dahlgren's  Raid   42 

Darbytown   Road    389 

Davis,   Jefferson,   at   Camp   Lee  150 

reviews  Corps  in   1864    346 

D'Auvergne,        Latour,        First 

Grenadier  of  France    337 

Defense,   Coimeil  of 138 


Index 


567 


PAGE 

Defense,   Public,  measures   of..    116 

commission  of   117 

Defenses    of    Richmond,    Cadets 

assigned   to    348 

Denby,    Chas.,    Cadet,    receives 

colors  for  Corps  in   1850.  ...      58 
Derrick,     Lieut.-Col.     Clarence, 

23d   Va 303 

Desertion  in  Confederacy   412 

Deserter   hunting    234 

Detaille 23 

Dialectic  Literary  Society  .  .  .  377 
Diamond  Hill,  Lynchburg  ....  374 
Dillard,  Col.  A.  H.,  M.  B.  V. .  .  100 
Dimmock,    Capt.    Chas.,    M.    B. 

V 56 

Disbandment    of    Corps    of    Ca- 
dets       417 

Discipline,   conceptions  of    ...  .      90 

nature  of  at  Institute 91 

psychology  of  in  Corps    ....    131 

at  Camp  Lee  148 

among  Cadets   331 

Dorman,   Gen.   Chas.   P.,  M.   B. 

V 35 

Downing,  Col.  Samuel,  M.  B.  V.  100 
Drillmasters,  Cadets  as...  141,  390 
Duffie,  Gen.,  attacks  Lynchburg  375 

Du  Pout's  U.  S.  Battery   310 

Du  Pont,  Capt.  H.  A.,  Hunter's 

Chief   of   Artillery 353,   356 

opposes  vandalism  of  Hunter  367 
introduces  bill  in  U.  S.  Sen- 
ate      367 

(See  his  testimony  in  Appendix  D. ) 
Early,     Gen.,     defends     Lynch- 
burg         373 

Echols'   Brigade    294,  295.  302 

Edgar,  Col.,  26th  Va.  Batt.,  316,  303 

his  battalion  317,  321 

Education,  need  of  military  .  .  .  403 
Eleves  of  V.  M.  I.   (see  Appendices) 

Equipments,  etc 187 

Evans,     Cadet     Color-Sergeant, 

his  gallantry    307,  317 

Evans's  Raid  on  Richmond....    410 


PAGE 

Evacuation  of  Richmond,  Ca- 
dets  in    415 

Ewell,  Gen.,   orders  out  Cadets  415 
his    Corps    moves    to    Lynch- 
burg        373 

makes   use  of   Cadets    389 

Ewing's  Battery 304,  320 

Exemption,  effort  to  establish 
for  Cadets   176,  386 

Expedition    vs.     Averell,    First 

Raid    239 

vs.  Averell,  Second  Raid ....    254 

vs.  Averell,  Third  Raid 264 

vs.   deserters    234 

Ezekiel,  Sir  Moses,  his  monu- 
ment to  New  Market  Ca- 
dets        337 

nurses  comrade 339 

Faculty,    first    42 

in  1851    76 

character  of  Sub    101 

rank  of  members   117 

enters   service    154 

reassembled  in   1862    174 

commissions    held     by     ineni- 

bers  of    154 

reports  in  1865  in  Richmond, 

385,  388,  395 

losses  of  during  war   407 

service  of    408 

sub-faculty,  service  of. 

Appendix   C 

Fair  Oaks    389 

Faulkner,  Chas.  J.,  B.  V 61 

Federal  Cavalry,  at  New  Mar- 
ket    306,  313,  314 

Federal  troops  at  New  Mar- 
ket     304,   305,   310 

Federal   losses   at   New   Market  334 

Fitzhugh,  Gen.,  raid  on  Rich- 
mond, opposed  by  Cadets  and 
Reserves    411 

Flag,  for  Jackson's  grave  pre- 
sented        287 

Flag,  captured,  presented  to 
Corps  by  Rosser's   Brigade.  .    278 


568 


Index 


PAGE 

Flag-Raising     at     Institute     in 

1860 127,  128,  397 

Floyd,   Gov.   John   B 57 

Floyd,  Col.  B.  R.,  M.  B.  V 100 

Foreign  Battalion  of  S.  C 391 

Fourcay    372 

French   Revolution,   destruction 

of   schools   during    372 

officers  in   401 

French  gmis  removed  by  Hunter 

and  returned   369 

French   Infantrj',  tripping  gait 

of   308 

Fulkerson,  S.  V.,  M.  B.  V 100 

"Galvanized     Yankees,"     Cadet 

officers  for    391 

Garret,  Winder,  Cadet,  captures 

Federal   soldiers    322 

Gauley    376 

General  Assembly,  creates  Insti- 
tute      32 

increases  annuity   52 

makes        Institute        Normal 

School   52 

again  increases  annuity   ....  56 

makes    special    appropriation  116 

directs   remains   of   Gen.   Lee 

to  be  removed  to  Institute  124 

George,  Harvey,  M.  B.  V.,   .  .  .  .  61 

German      soldiers      in      Sigel's 

Army     297,  335 

Gettysburg,  Battle  of   244 

part  of  V.  M.  I.  in   251 

Gibbons,  Col.  Simeon  B.,  M.  B. 

V 100 

killed 201 

Gibbs,    Capt.    J.    T.,    Commis- 
sary     107 

Gilham,    William,    selected    as 

Commandant   55 

his   character    56 

early  impression  of   96 

his  system  of  discipline 90 

proposes  Cavalry 97 

prepares  Manual   of  Instruc- 
tion  for   Volunteers    1 14 


PAGE 

Gilham,    William,    recommends 

G.  H.  Thomas  as  professor  122 
placed  in  charge  of  Camp  Lee, 

139-150 
appointed  Col.  of  Volunteers, 

154,  343,  370 
"Gloria  Vietis,"  Merci6's  Statue     10 

Gneisenau     19 

Goodykoontz,     Cadet,     at     New 

Market    335 

Goshen,  Corps  at  in  1863  .  .259,  238 
Graduates,  service  of  in  militia  102 

first    52 

in  C.  S.  A.  1861   146 

in  Jackson's  Army,    ....  162,   190 

in  C.  S.  A 179,  216,  399 

at  Gettysburg   244 

service  of   252 

as  officers  of  foreign  troops.  .   391 
in   South   Carolina  troops.  .  .    391 
(See  Appendices.) 
Graduating  Exercises,  1864   .  .  .   380 

Graham,  Surgeon  E.  L 107 

Guns,  Old  French    242 

Guns,    captured    by    Cadets    at 

New  Market    323 

Guard  Book,  first 48 

Hainesville,  Battle  of   162 

Hanna,    Cadet    Lieutenant,    his 

courage   322 

Hardee,  Col.  W.  J.,  visits  Insti- 
tute in   1860    122 

his  opinion 122 

Hardin,  M.  B.,  Adjunct-Profes- 
sor        122 

Hardy,  Cadet  W.  C,   391 

Harman,  Col 296 

Harrisonburg,       Cadets       camp 

near 295 

Cadets  entertained  in    343 

Hatcher's  Run,  Battle  of 389 

Hays,  Gen.,  at  Lynchburg 373 

Hays,  Col.  S.   F.,  M.  B.  V 100 

Hayes,  Col.  Rutherford  B 353 

Historiographer,  Official   10 

Hill,  Gen.  D.  H.,  at  Lynchburg  373 
Hill,   Capt.   A.   Govan 352 


Index 


569 


PAGE 

History   of   V.    M.    I.,   by   Gen. 

Smith 9 

of  New  Market,  by  Turner .  .  14 

Hill,  Capt.  A.   Govan,  wounded  308 

previous  service  of 332 

Hill,  D.   H.,   recommends  Jack- 
son    67 

acquaintance  with  Jackson .  .  68 
Home  Guard,  Rockbridge, 

255,  284,  291,  293 
Horses,   for   cadet  battery, 

292,  293,  344,  348,  357 

Howze,  Major    11 

Houdon,  his  statue  of  Washing- 
ton removed   369,  371 

his  statue  purchased   24 

House  of  Delegates,  Cadets  ex- 
amined before   51 

Hunter,  Major-General  David.  .  352 
composition  of  his  army    ....  353 

his  men  enter  Lexington    .  .  .  360 

conduct  of  his  men    ....361,  377 

his  own  account   364 

his  vandalism  opposed  by  his 

officers 367 

operations      against      Lynch- 
burg    372 

attack  on  Lynchburg 374 

retreats   precipitately    376 

Hunter's   Raid    352,  et  seq. 

Imboden,   Brig.-Gen.   J.   D.,   his 
letter  complimenting  Corps 

of  Cadets 262 

his    Brigade,    296,    308,    310, 

314,  315,  316,  339,  341,  358 
Indian  Hollow,  at  New  Market  311 
Inspection,  Military,  of  1863 .  .  .  233 
Instruction,   Camp   of,  in  Rich- 
mond     139 

Instruction.  Military,  in  1861 .  .  138 
Instructions  from   Governor   as 

to  use  of  the  Corps  241 

Instructors,   Cadet    52 

Artillery 145 

Insurrection,   servile,  in  1858..  103 

Jackson's   Battery    306 


PAGE 

Jackson's  Corps,  Cadets  in ...  .   345 

Jackson,  T.  J.  "Stonewall,"  se- 
lection of  as  professor .  .      63 

his  record 68 

accepts  office 73 

reports  for  duty   75 

influence  and  character 76 

anecdotes  concerning   77 

impression  of  in  1858   96 

anecdotes  of  in  1859    112 

tests   Parrott  Guns  at  Insti- 
tute     118,    119 

"Draw  the  Sword  and  Throw 

Away  the  Scabbard"   133 

his   desire   for   war    127 

in  command  of  Corps 140 

appointed  Colonel,  C.  S.  A.  .  .    147 

at  Harper's  Ferry    158 

his  staff    160 

Battle  of  Hainesville 162 

at  First  Manassas   168 

orders  Corps  to  Staunton...  188 
composition  of  his  army.  ...  189 
compliments  Corps  of  Cadets  203 

at  Chancellorsville  211 

death  of    223 

his  funeral 228 

his  marriages    360 

his  sword  secreted    364 

Jackson,  Col.  W.  L.  "Mudwall," 
opposes    Averell     235 

James   River   Canal,   raid   on .  .    411 

Jealousy      of      Institute      men 

147,  149 

Jefferson,  Cadet,  killed  at  New 

Market      337 

his    heroism     338,    339 

Johnston,     Gen.     Jos.     E.,     his 
views   on  ordnance    119 

Johnston,    Maj.    J.    Stoddard.  .   334 

Johnston,  Gen.  Peter  C,  M.  B. 
V 35 

Jones,     Cadet,    killed    at    New 
Market    337 

Jones,  Brig.-G«n.  W.  E.,  killed 
at  Piedmont    352 


570 


Index 


PAGE 

Jordan's  Furnace,  Hunter's  ad- 
vance   on 354 

Junkin,     Miss,     marries     Maj. 

Jackson     360 

Kellogg,  Maj.  Horace   305 

Kemper,  Col.  J.  L.,  M.  B.  V...    100 

Kemper,    Gen 386 

Knox,  Gen.  Henry,  recommends 
creation  of  military  school .  .      26 

Kraff,  Prince 20 

Lacy   letter    182 

Lang,   Maj.   Theodore  S 20 

describes  chai'ge  of  Cadets .  .   328 

capture  of  guns    328 

Langhorne,  John    375 

Latimer,  Maj.  Joseph  \Miite.  .    248 

'•The  Boy   Major"    249 

Lavoisier,   murdered    372 

Layne,  Gen.  D.  B.,  M.  B.  V 61 

Lee,  D.  Murray,  Cadet,  impli- 
cated   in    flag-raising    127 

Lee,  Fitzhugh,  his  cavalry,  265,  272 

report  of  expedition    274 

Lee,  Gen.  Henry  ("Lighthorse 
Harry" ) .  remains  to  be  re- 
moved to  Institute    124 

Lee,  Robert  E.,  in  John  Brown's 

Raid    104 

letter  of  to  Supt.  about  use 

of  Cadets    285 

receives  welcome  news  of  New 

Market    339 

letter    about    destruction    of 

Institute    381,   402 

Legislature,    thanks     Corps     of 

Cadets  1864   347 

Letcher,  Gov.  John,  takes  meas- 
ures for  defense   117 

his     address     to     Cadets     in 

Richmond  144 

falsely  accused  by  Hunter,  366,  370 
Letcher    Battery,    guns    of    re- 
ceived       243 

Lewis,  Cadet  William   293 

Lewisburg    376 

Liberty  or  Salem   373,  376 


PAGE 

'■Liberty  Hall"  Volunteers 139 

Ligon,  Gen.  William,  M.  B.  V, .  .      51 
Lincoln,  his  instructions  as  to 

burning  of  private  property .  .    367 

Lodi,  bridge  of   21 

Longstreet,   Gen.,  calls  on  Cadets  414 
Losses,  of  graduates,  at  Gettys- 
burg         247 

of   Cadets   New   Market    ....    334 

among  Alumni 232,  402,  403 

in    i"' acuity     407 

Luray   Gap    304 

Lyell,  Col.  J.  W.,  '59,  Professor  406 
Lynchburg,  Hunter's  attack  up- 
on     373 

Corps  of  Cadets  !\t    373,  375 

rebuilding  of  Institute  in  pro- 
posed      383 

Lynchburg  College   383 

Madison,   Surgeon   R.   L 344 

Mahan,    Prof.    D.    H..    on   mili- 
tary education    32 

consulted    56 

Mahone,  Gen.  William    ISO,  183 

Lacy    letter    about     182 

Manvial      of      Instruction      for 

Volunteers,     ordered     to     be 

prepared     114 

Manassas,   First,   Cadets   killed 

at 165 

influence  of   Cadets   upon   re- 
sult        168 

conduct   of   Cadet   McCulloch  169 
March,    to    Staunton    in    April, 

1861     142 

longest   by    Cadets,   44   miles  207 
Marr,  Capt.  J.  Q.,  V.  M.  I.  '46, 

first  Confederate  ofiicer  killed   152 
Massachusetts,     34th     Reg.     of 

Infantry 304,  305,  310,  311 

Massie,    Col.    J.    W.,    Assistant 

Professor    75 

commands  Home  Guard,  255,  266 

serves  on  Jackson's  st^ff.  .  .  .    158 
Martyr-Roll  of  V.  M.  I..  Appendix  B 


Index 


571 


PAGE 

McCausland,     Brig.-Gen.     John 

B 353 

defends    Lexington     354-5-9 

pursues   Hunter    376 

Assistant  Professor  V.  M.  I.  106 
McClannahan's  Battery    ...308,  310 

its   position 310,   311,  314 

pursues  Federals    333 

McClellan,  G.  B.,  recommended 

as   professor    64 

his   record    65 

McCulloch,   Cadet   Robert,   con- 
duct  at   First   Manassas....    169 

McDowell   Campaign    184,   331 

McDowell,  Cadet,  killed, 

31-2,  336,  337 
McDowell,    Gov.    James,   M.    B. 

V 34,    370 

McHenry.  Secretary  of  War,  on 

military    school    27 

McKinley,    Maj.    William    ....   353 
opposed    Hunter's    vandalism  367 
McLaughlin's  Artillery    .  .  .  294, 
304,  308,   310,   311,  314,  316,  320 

McNeill's  Rangers    308 

Meadow  Bluflf   376 

Meigs,  Lieut.  John  R.,  U.  S.  A., 
imsoldierly    conduct    of    at 

Institute     378 

his  death    379 

Memorial  Volume  of  V.  M.  I. .  .      50 

Mercie,  his  statue    10 

Merritt,  J.  L.,   Cadet,  wounded  308 

Messonier     23 

Mexican  War,  Cadets  in 62 

Appendix  I. 
Mezi6res,  Engineering  School  of  372 

Midway,  Cadets  camp  at 292 

Military    Schools    of    Confeder- 
acy     171,    175 

Military   Education    399,   400 

Militia,    reorganization    of....    102 
employed  against  John  Brown 

103,  104 
Millboro,  Hunter's  advance  via  354 
Minge,  Cadet  Capt.  C.  H 306 


PAGE 

Moffett,  J.  S.,  Cadet,  killed  First 
Manassas,    his    conduct    ....    165 

Moltke    19 

Monge     372 

Monroe,  President    27 

removal  of  his  remains 97 

Montgomery      White      Sulphur 
Springs     383 

Moor,  Col.,  his  force, 

295,   296,   298,   305,   310 

Moore,  C.  W.,  Cadet,  killed  First 
Manassas,  his  conduct    165 

Moore,  Hon.  S.  McD 370 

Morrison,     Miss,     2d     wife     of 
Jackson     360 

Motto   of   Institute,   fulfillment 
of     418 

Mother,    patriotism    of    a    Ca- 
det's         113 

"Mount    Airy,"    Cadet    battery 
in  camp  at 334 

Mount   Crawford,   Cadets   camp 
at   295 

Mount  Jackson   296 

Mount  Tabor,  Cadets  camp  at.  .   296 

Munford,  Gen.  T.  T.,  secures  re- 
turn of  trophies   369 

Napoleon    21 

Negro  Insurrection,  threat  of  in 
1858     103 

Negro    troops    for    Confederacy 

proposed  413 

Cadets   as   drillmasters  for..   414 

New  Castle    376 

New    Market,     Battle    of,    dis- 
missed         12 

history  of  by  Turner   14 

account  of  by  J.  S.  Wise,  20,  21 
painting  of  by  Clinedinst.  ...      22 

New  Market   296,  298 

description  of  town,  298,  299,  302 

battle  of   303 

tactics   of   battle    303 

troops  engaged  in  battle. . . .    303 

fighting  in  town   306 

Confederate  formation 309 


572 


Index 


PAGE 

New    Market,    Cadets    in    town 

after  battle    335 

Cadet,  traditions  of    337 

New  York  City,  Corps  visits  in 

1883     281 

presents  captured  flag  to  city  283 

Nicknames,  customary 276 

Niemeyer,     Lieut.     J.     C,     his 

heroism  at  Gettysburg   247 

Norfolk,  Corps  visits  in  1850..      60 
Norris,   S.   R.,   Cadet,   killed  at 

First  Manassas,   his   conduct  165 
Officers,    among    Institute    men 

146,  149,  150 

in  .Jackson's  army 190,  197 

in  C.  S.  A n9,  216,  221,  229 

at  Gettysburg   244 

in  Artillery   250 

wounded,    about    barracks .  .  .    276 
Cadet,   appointed   June,    1864  380 
Cadets  for,  in  Foreign  Battal- 
ions        391 

in  Corps   395 

V.   M.   I.   supplies,   numerous  399 
for  negro  troops  from  Insti- 
tute      413 

furnished    by    Institute     (see 
Appendix  E.) 
Orchard,   the   Bushong   at   New 

Market    316 

Ordnance,   at  Institute,    1861..    292 

in  1864   354 

abandoned     357 

captured  359 

removed   by   Hunter    369 

Otey,   Lieut.,   Ass't.   Prof 106 

Oxford    College 372 

Palais  Bourbon   372 

Parrott,    Capt.    R.    P.,    demon- 
strates  his   field-piece    118 

Parrott    Guns,    first    tested    at 

Institute     118 

their   first  use   in   battle....    119 

at  First  Manassas   137 

at  Hainesville   162 


PAGE 

Patton,    Col.   Geo.   S.,   22d  Va., 

303,  316,  319 

Patton,  Col.  Waller  Tazewell .  .    246 

his  heroism  at  Gettysburg.  .    247 

Paxton,  Col.  J.  H.,  M.  B.  V. .  .  .    100 

Pendleton,  Col.  Edmund,  V.  M. 

I.  '42,  his  account  of  Institute 

in  1839   45 

Pendleton,     Col.     "Sandy,"     of 

Lexington 378 

Pendleton,    Wm.    N.,    Rev.    and 

Gen 38 

Penn,  Cadet  J.  C 392 

Petersburg,  Corps  visits  in  1850     60 

Lee  withdraws  from   416 

Peyton  Johnston,  Lieut.,  burial 

of  by  Corps  of  Cadets    349 

Pickett's  Charge,  Cadets  in ...  .   244 

Piedmont,  Battle  of 352 

Pierpont,    Governor,    presented 

with  Institute  trophies 369 

Pizzini,    Cadet    First   Sergeant, 

his   gallantry    318 

Poe's  Farm,  Cadets  camp  at.  .  .  390 
Polytechnic  School  of  Paris..  372 
Precedents      against      Hunter's 

vandalism   372 

Preston,   Capt.   Frank,   delivers 

prayer   300 

account  of  battle   323 

previous  service  of 332 

Preston,  Col.  J.  T.  L.,  his  con- 
nection with  origin  of  In- 
stitute           32 

his  character   33 

author  of  "Civis" 33 

his    description    of    execution 

of  John   Brown    107 

service  on  Jackson's  staff...    158 

quarters    destroyed     359 

proposes  use  of  Cadets  with 

negro    troops     413 

Preston,   Mrs.,   her   diary,   260,   268 
Prisoners,  Cadets  capture    ....   328 
received   by   Cadets    in    Rich- 
mond       389 


Index 


573 


PAGE 

Professors,  Roster  of  Assistant, 

1842-1863    Appendix  C 

Purcell  Battery 137 

Psychologj',  of  war 19,  20 

in   discipline    131 

in  war 219 

Raid,  on  Institute  rumored...    152 

Randolph-Macon   College    383 

Rank,  of  members  of  Faculty..  117 
Read,  Cadet  C.  H.,  Jr.,  wounded  308 
Reno,    J.    L.,    recommended    as 

professor     64 

his    record     66 

Reopening  of  Institute,   1865..    396 
Reorganization  of  Institute  dis- 
cussed      382,  383 

Reserve  Forces  of  Virginia,  Ca- 
dets part  of   386,  391 

at  Lynchburg   373,  389 

at  Richmond   412 

Reunion   of   Blue   and   Gray   at 

Institute     135 

Richardson,  Gen.   Wm.  H..  Ad- 
jutant General  of  Va 50 

Memorial  Volume  of  V.  M.  I. 

dedicated    to    -, 50 

influence  of    56 

Richmond,  visit  of  Corps  to  in 

1842     50 

Corps  visits  in   1850    57 

Corps   visits   in    1858    94 

ordered  to  in  April,   1861...    141 
Camp  of  Instruction  at   ....    139 
firing   around   heard   in   Lex- 
ington        293 

Corps  ordered  to  in   1864 .  .  .    342 
Institute  reopened  in   1865... 385 

evacuation   of    415 

Robinson,  Dr.  C.  E.,  B.  V 61 

Robinson,  Capt.  T.  B 388 

Rock-a-bye,  Baby,  veterans  sing 

to  Cadets   297 

Rockbridge  Alum  Springs    ....    238 

Rockbridge    Artillery     161 

"Rockbridge    Greys,"     142 

Rockfish   Gap,    Breckinridge    at  358 


PAGE 

Rhodes,   Robt.   E..   Gen.,   candi- 
date for  full  professorship     68 

appointed  professor   121 

killed     407 

Roll  of  Alumni  killed  in  battle, 

Appendix  B 
Rope  Ferry,   Cadets  ordered  to 

hold     358 

Ross,  Col.  J,  D.  H 185,   395 

Rosser's  Brigade,  in  camp  near 

Lexington     277 

leaves  for  front   278 

presents      captured     flag     to 

Corps     278 

Rosecrans,  W.  S.,  recommended 

as  professor   64 

his   record    66 

Roster,  of  New  Market  Battal- 
ion     Appendix  A 

Riichel,   quoted    11 

Rude's  Hill    298 

Federal  position  on   333 

Salem,   or   Liberty    373,   376 

SchafF,  Gen.  Morris,  his  tribute 
to  Southern  West  Pointers..    135 

Scharnhorst    19 

Schools,    Military,    Confederate 

171.    176 

need    of    403 

Schoonmaker,   Col.  .J.   M.,   com- 
manding   Cavalry    Brigade 

Hunter's  Army   368 

opposes  vandalism  of  Hunter  368 
his  affidavit  and  statements.  .   368 

Scott,  Capt.  Abel  S   188 

Scott,  Gen.  E.  P..  B.  V 61 

Secession,   flag  raised    127 

sentiment  in  Corps    128 

Semmes.    Lieutenant    Thos.    M. 

185,   212.   291,   306,   343.   349 
Senate     Bill,     providing     reim- 
bursement, introduced   ....    367 
(See  also  hearing  on.  Appendix  D. ) 
Sheddon,  Hugh.  Esq.,  of  London, 
presents  flag  to  Virginia  for 
Jackson's  grave     287 


574 


Index 


PAGK 

Shenandoah    lUver    296,   299 

Shenandoah  Valley    296,  298 

Sheridan,    threatens    Richmond  345 

raid    on    Richmond    411 

Sherman,  Gen 413 

Shirley's    Hill,    298,    307,    308,    311 

Shipp,   Scott    9 

Lieut,  and  Ass't.  Prof 106 

appointed   Commandant    ....    174 

joins  Cavalry  in  1863   234 

returns  to  Institute 238 

speech  accepting  flag 279 

Shipp,     Col.,      receives     orders 

from    Breckinridge     305 

begs  to  go  into  battle 306 

gives  order  to  mark  time,  315,  328 

disabled    317,    323 

previous  serA'ice  of   332 

rejoins  his  command   333 

thanked  by  Gen.  Smith    344 

joins   McCausland    353 

Shoes,  lack  of  among  Cadets .  .    343 

Sickness,   at   Camp   Lee    148 

Sigel,  Gen.  Franz,  his  plan ....    284 

his  movements    288 

indecision     298 

arrival    306 

counter-attack     320 

retreat    333 

Smith's  Creek   299 

position    across     310 

Smith,  Col.  A.  .J.,  M.  B.  V. .  .  .    100 
Smith,  Gen.  Francis  H.,  selected 

as  Supt 37 

his  character   38 

meets  Board    42 

advocates    Jackson    for    pro- 
fessorship         65 

his  ideas  of  discipline 91 

visits  Europe  to  study  insti- 
tutions          99 

in     charge     of    execution     of 

John  Brown 106 

Commissioner    of   Public    De- 
fense        117 


PACK 

Smith,  General  Francis  H., 
Member  of  Council  of  De- 
fense        138 

opposes   opening   of   Institute 

in  1862   172 

correspondence  with  .lackson, 

198-200 
seeks  instructions  from  Gov- 
ernor      240 

communicates  with  Gen.   Lee  285 
communicates       with        Gen. 

Breckinridge    ....  286,  342,  343 
congratulates   Corps   on   New 

Market    344 

opposes  opposition  to  Hunter  354 
heroic  efforts  to  rebuild  Insti- 
tute        382 

remarkable  address  of 396 

Smith,   Col.   Geo.   H.,   '53.. 201,   299 
Smith,     GustaAOis     W.,     recom- 
mended as  professor 66 

Smith,  T.  Henderson,  Capt.,  212,  306 

Smith,  Rev.  W.  A 383 

Snow's  Maryland  Battery, 

305,  309,  311,  316,  320,  323,  327 
South  Carolina,  Foreign  troops 

of   391 

Spottsylvania,  Battle  of    345 

Stahel,   Maj.-Gen 306,   313,   314 

Stanard,  Cadet,  killed.  .312.  336.  337 
Stanton,  Mr.,  Secretary  of  War, 

returns  battery   369 

State  Guard   30,  31 

Statistics,    Military,    of    Insti- 
tute     431,   461,   476,   485 

Staunton,  Corps  marches  to  in 

1861     142 

Corps  ordered  to  in  1862 193 

Corps  reaches 293 

reception  of  Cadets  in 343 

Steenbergen,  Gen.  Peter  H.,  B. 

V 61 

Steptoe,  Lieut.  C.  Y 395 

Stewart,     A.     P.,     elected     pro- 
fessor        68 

•Stonewall   Brigade"    190,   216 


Index 


575 


PAGE 

Strategy.  Chair  of  established .  .    100 
Studies,  course  provided .  .  .  384,  394 

Sub-Faculty,  personnel  of 101 

(See  also  Appendix  C.) 
Superintendent,      selection      of 

fii'st    37,   39 

Supplies,  commissary 292 

Taliaferro,   W.   B.,   M.   B.   V. .  .    100 
Taylor,  Pres.  Zachary,  presents 

battery  to  Cadets 60 

Corps    serves     as     escort     in 

1850 57 

Taunts,  of  veterans  .  .  .297,  301,  336 
Terrill,  Wm.  H.,  his  Union  and 

Confederate  Sons    136 

Terrill  Boys,  the 136 

Thiers,  quoted   401 

Thomas,  Gen.  Geo.  H.,  seeks  of- 
fice at  Institute   122 

his  letters 123 

Thomson,  James  W.,  implicated 

in  flag-raising    127,   192 

Thayer,    Col.,    of    West    Point, 

Supt.  confers  with   40 

Town,  Capt.  Franklin  E 20 

describes  charge  of  Cadets .  .  .   328 
Traditions,  value  of..  10,   11,  23.  61 

of   New   Market    337 

Trenches,  Cadets  in  Richmond  342 
Cadets  in  at  Lynchburg.  .373,  375 
Cadets  in  on  Westham  Road  411 
Cadets    in    on    Williamsburg- 

Road    389 

Cadets    in    on    Charles    City 

Road    415 

Trophies,  old  guns   242 

Trevilians,  Battle  of   377 

Trueheart,  Lieut.  Daniel,  Ass't. 

Prof 106 

Tunnell,   incident   of  in    1861..    143 
Turner,     Prof.     Edward     Ray- 
mond,  his   history   of   New 

Market    14 

quoted,    314,    315.    319,    322. 

324,  328,  332 
Uniform,  origin  of  Confederate  97 
Union  sentiment  in  Corps 134 


PAGE 

University  of  Virginia   372 

Vandalism    of    Hunter ....  369,    377 
Valley     of     Virginia,      Grant's 

plans   385 

Sheridan  in    385 

Early  in   335 

Virginia,   builds   Arsenals    ....      30 

the   standing  army    31 

Virginia  Military  Institute,  its 

origin     32 

its    system    and    mission ....      36 

original    plan    40 

opening  of   42 

motto   of    43 

record  of  6l§ves  43 

physical  character  of  in  1839     45 

first    session    of    46 

annuity   of   increased    52 

created  Normal  School 52 

its  record  as  first    52 

annuity  increased  in  1850..  56 
special  appropriation  for...  116 
reopened    as    West    Point    of 

Confederacy    171-179 

destroyed   by   Hunter    363 

treatment      of      by      Federal 

soldiers ,  _    377 

reopened    3^2 

efforts   and   plans   to   rebuild  382 
reopened   in  Richmond  Alms- 
house      392 

disbandment  of   417 

services  of    413 

"Virginia      Military      Institute 
Will     Be     Heard     From     To- 

(lay"     211 

•■Virginia  Mourning  Her  Dead," 

Ezekiel's  monument   337 

Visitors,  distinguished,  to  Insti- 
tute       122 

to  Camp  Lee   159 

Von  der  Goltz    n,  19 

Von   Kleiser's   Battery    304 

witlidraws     306,    310 

new   position.   310,   317,   320, 

323,  326.  327,  328,  332 


,576 


Index 


PAGE 

Walker,     Reuben     Lindsay,     at 
Manassas    137 

Walker,     Rev.     Chas.     D.,     his 
memorial  volume  of  V.  M.  I.     50 

War  Faculty,  record  of   407 

Wartenburg   20 

Washington,     his     remarks     on 

militarj^  school   24 

his  remarks  on  militia   25 

his  statue  taken  to  Wheeling, 
W.   Va 369,   371 

Washington    College,     its    con- 
nection  with    Institute.  ...      53 

connection  dissolved 54 

Hunter's   attempt   to   destroy  370 

Washington    Monument,    laying 

of  corner-stone    58 

unveiling  of  in   1858   94 

Wells,  Col.  Geo.  D 305 

West  Point .  10,   11 

influence  of   56,  401 

establishment  of   400 

West    Pointers    in    Confederate 
Armies   180,  216 

"West    Point    of   the   Confeder- 
acy"    171.  185,  396 

"West  Point  nf  the  South" 58 

Weston,  Cadet  Cary    391 

Westham  Arsenal  412 

Westham      Road,      Cadets      in 
trenches   along    411 

Wharton's    Brigade,    294,    295, 

296,  301,  302,  313.  316 

Wheeling,     W.     Va.,     Institute 
trophies  taken  to   369 

Wheelwright,    Cadet,    killed    at 
New  Market    337 

White   Sulphur   Springs,    saved 
by  du  Pont   376 

Whitwell,    Capt.    J.    C,    Com- 
missarv     291 


PAGE 

Wiley,  Capt.  John  F.,  B.  V. .  .  34 
W'illiams,  Col.  Jonathan,   First 

Supt.  of  West  Point 27 

Williamsburg   Road,   Cadets   in 

camp  on   390 

Williamson,  Gen.  T.  H.,  second 
professor  and  second  Com- 
mandant     49,   370 

Wise,    Governor   H.    A.,    speech 

of   24 

dedicates  barracks   94 

orders      Corps      to      Charles 

Town  106 

orders  Corps  to  Richmond..    114 

portrait   of  destroyed    370 

Wise,    Capt.    H.    A.,    "Old   Chi- 
nook"      14,    188 

succeeds   Shipp   in   command, 

234,  321 
gives  order  to  charge, 

321,  322,  323 

previous   service   of    332 

Wise,  J.  S.,  his  account  of  New 

Market    21 

description  of  Lexington ....   289 
account  of  New  Market.  .287,  324 
Cadet    Corporal    wounded .  .  .    308 
Wood,    Maj.-Gen.    Leonard,    his 

estimate   of   Institute    479 

Woodbridge,     Cadet     Sergeant- 

Major,    his   gallantry    307 

Woodlief.  Cadet  P.  W..  wound- 
ed         308 

Woodson's  Missoiirians  ...316,  317 
Wolfe,  Lieut.-Col.,  51st  Va....  303 
Woolwich,       British       Military 

School     26 

Wynkoop,  Col.  John  E 305 

Yancey,    Capt.    E.    L 184 

Yellow   Tavern,   Battle   of 345 

Yorktovni   Road    389 


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